I thought the BMW engine meets that standards over there, do they not? Or does the laws limit sale in general? (I have no clue, real questions)
Quick AI google response below. This is also why we can theoretically buy the new Toyota Landcruiser in the UK but Toyota restrict sales so that you cannot actually buy one!
This is also a similar issue in the EU. It's almost as though they want to shut down manufacturing and buy everything from China!
We also wonder why European branded cars cost so much
UK Fines for Exceeding Average CO₂ Emissions
(For car manufacturers, not drivers)
Even though the
ZEV mandate now gets most of the attention, the UK
still enforces CO₂ fleet‑average limits for new cars and vans. These rules were carried over from EU law after Brexit.
How the CO₂ fines work
Manufacturers must keep the
average CO₂ emissions of all new cars they sell below a set target. If their fleet average is
higher than the target, they pay a fine.
Penalty amount
From the retained EU regulation:
- €95 per gram of CO₂ per vehicle above the target.
This is the same structure the EU uses.
Example
If a manufacturer’s fleet average is:
- 5 g/km above the target
- and they sold 100,000 cars
Then the fine is:
5×95×100,000=€47.5 million
Legal basis
The UK’s rules are set out in:
- The Car, Van and Heavy Duty Vehicle CO₂ Emissions Performance Standards Regulations
- These regulations were retained from EU law and updated in 2023.
The Office for Budget Responsibility confirms the fine structure:
“Each manufacturer faces a fine of €95 per new car registered for each gram deviation above the target.”
How this interacts with the ZEV mandate
These are
two separate systems:
| System | What it regulates | Penalty |
|---|
| CO₂ fleet‑average rules | Average emissions of all new petrol/diesel/hybrid cars | €95 per g/km per vehicle |
| ZEV mandate | % of new cars that must be electric | £15,000 per missing EV |
How UK Emissions Fines Work for Car Manufacturers
1. The ZEV Mandate (Main Source of Fines)
The UK introduced the
Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate in 2024.It requires every manufacturer selling cars in the UK to ensure a minimum percentage of their
new car sales are fully electric (BEVs).
Targets:
- 2024: 22% of new car sales must be electric
- 2025: 28%
- 2030: 80%
- 2035: 100% (no new petrol/diesel sales)
2. What Happens If a Manufacturer Misses the Target?
If a brand fails to meet its required EV percentage, the government can fine them:
- £15,000 per vehicle they fall short of the target (Some sources mention £12,000 for future years depending on policy changes, but £15k is the official figure for 2024–25.)
Example:If a manufacturer needed to sell
10,000 EVs but only sold
8,000, they are
2,000 short →
2,000 × £15,000 = £30 million fine.
3. Flexibilities (Why Most Brands Avoid Fines)
Manufacturers can avoid fines using several mechanisms:
- Buy credits from other manufacturers who exceeded their EV targets
- Use banking/borrowing (carry over surplus or deficit between years)
- Pool with other brands (e.g., smaller companies joining a group)
)
