UK’s ZEV mandate ‘sets an example to Europe’, says BYD boss

BYD’s executive vice-president has praised the UK government’s ZEV mandate for its clarity and urged European leaders to adopt a similar policy.

Stella Li said that the under-fire policy gave car makers a clear target and schedule for their electrification strategy and suggested European leaders could learn from the mandate.

Speaking to journalists at the launch of the BYD Sealion 7, Ms Li said that car makers needed stability and clarity on the expectations around electric vehicles, and said Europe’s recent shifting of emissions targets made that difficult.

EU regulators recently softened the bloc’s system which aims to cut CO2 emissions from new vehicles, giving car makers more time to comply with fleet emissions reductions.

Asked how different legislative attitudes towards EVs compared between Europe, the UK and BYD’s native China, Ms Li said that shifting policies made it difficult for manufacturers. She said: “The UK regulation is more sustainable and clear, and there is a schedule. This gives everybody a very clear reachable target.”

She said that a fixed target of a certain proportion of all-electric sales by a set date would allow car makers to go full-speed to meet that target. While European leaders insisted the target of zero emissions by 2035 remained in place, Ms Li warned that repeatedly altering the legislation left uncertainty and a lack of focus for car makers.

“If you run a company and you don’t have a schedule to reach this target, then by 2030 nothing will happen,” she said.

“I hope the European Union can be more sustainable and set a certain target and then not change. And maybe copy the UK and give a very practical target.”

However, she suggested that her views would count for very little with EU leaders, noting “They don’t care about BYD’s voice. Other people’s voice are louder than BYD’s.”

BYD is in a strong position to achieve the UK targets, with four of its five models already fully electric and the Atto 3 proving to be the brand’s overall best seller. The smaller Dolphin EV is its best performing car in the retail segment.

The all-electric Sealion 7 is on sale now, and the compact Dolphin Surf EV is set to arrive later this year to challenge at the most affordable end of the market and expand BYD’s all-electric line-up.

While Li praised the UK’s mandate, other car makers are not happy with the strict targets for EV sales and have called for softening of the policy. Consultation on the mandate closed recently and a government response expected in the coming months. It is not clear what, if any, changes might be made but Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds recently predicted “a substantial change of policy” and Whitehall has previously said ‘nothing is off the table’.

It is thought changes are most likely to focus on allow more hybrids to remain on sale beyond 2030, although the comments leave room for a softening of EV sales targets as well.