Reports that the Government is considering watering down the 2030 Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate should concern anyone who cares about Britain’s economic future, energy security, and the cost of living.

At a time when other countries are racing to adopt the industries of the future, weakening the UK’s commitment to electric vehicles would be a step backwards. It risks leaving Britain tied to the economy of the past rather than embracing the technologies that will drive growth, create jobs, and reduce our dependence on imported fossil fuels.

What is particularly disappointing is that ministers appear not to have learned the lessons of recent years. The wars in Ukraine and the Middle East exposed just how vulnerable the UK remains to global fossil fuel markets. Families and businesses paid the price through higher energy costs, while the Government was left scrambling to respond to events entirely outside its control.

The obvious response to these shocks should be to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels. Instead, the Government now appears willing to slow it down.

The economic consequences of continuing our dependence on petrol and diesel are significant. The Office for Budget Responsibility has estimated that repeated fuel duty freezes cost the Treasury around £120 billion between 2011 and October 2024. That is £120 billion that could have been invested in modern transport infrastructure, hospitals, clean energy projects, and the industries that will underpin future prosperity.

The scale of our reliance on fossil fuels is often overlooked. Every year, the UK consumes around 70 billion litres of petrol and diesel. Yet that figure tells only part of the story. A further 23 billion litres of energy are used extracting, transporting and refining those fuels before they even reach motorists. Consumers are not simply paying for fuel at the pump; they are supporting an inherently inefficient system that increases energy demand, deepens our reliance on imports, and contributes to poor air quality.

The national interest is clear. We should be reducing our dependence on fossil fuels as quickly as possible.

This is not simply an environmental argument. It is an economic and strategic one. Businesses need certainty before they invest. Manufacturers need confidence before they commit production lines and jobs to the UK. Consumers need reassurance that infrastructure will be there when they make the switch.

Here in Watford, we have seen what can be achieved when political ambition is matched by practical action. The council’s electric vehicle strategy has delivered charging infrastructure at scale, helping residents make the transition with confidence. In the ward I represent, every household without a driveway now has access to a public EV charger within a five-minute walk.

That investment did not happen by accident. It happened because the council recognised that people are more willing to embrace change when government provides the infrastructure and certainty they need.

The same principle applies nationally. Weakening the ZEV mandate would send precisely the wrong signal to manufacturers, investors and consumers. At a moment when the UK should be providing clarity and leadership, it would create uncertainty and undermine confidence.

Putting the brakes on progress would be a mistake. The Government should hold firm on the 2030 target and focus instead on accelerating the infrastructure and investment needed to make the transition a success.

* Mark Hofman has been a Councillor on Watford Borough Council since 2012.