# Government to invest £65m in electric vehicle firms

By Nick Connor — 2026-08-10

Responding to the news that the government will inject £65 million into firms producing zero-emission vehicles, Nick Connor – chief executive officer at the Institute of the Motor Industry – believes they should be doing more.

He said: “Investing at the front-end of the EV supply chain is, of course, important to meet net zero targets.

“But when is the government going to realise that it needs to match that investment with a commitment to support the businesses outside of the factory gates that are fundamental to EV uptake.

“There have been plenty of reports in the last few months about the cost of EV repairs and uneven distribution of EV skilled workforce is part and parcel of the problem.

“Our own IMI TechSafe data shows that the EV qualification rate is failing to keep pace with EV demand, putting workforce and motorist safety at risk. Just 35% of technicians are qualified to repair and service electric vehicles safely.

“The other issue is the uncertainty about the ZEV Mandate. The government needs to provide clarity. The automotive sector has endured too much switching of targets and deadlines in the last decade.

“It needs a clear picture about the pace of transition so that training providers, employers and individuals can plan investment in skills with confidence. That’s the balancing act that matters most: realistic targets for vehicle sales, matched by an unwavering commitment to making sure the workforce is ready to support them.

“The IMI is calling for further action to explicitly recognise automotive servicing and repair skills as part of the EV transition infrastructure.

“This includes embedding workforce capability into EV policy design, supporting large-scale upskilling of the existing workforce, and ensuring clear, recognised competence and safety standards for work on safety-critical, high-risk and security-sensitive vehicle systems across the sector.”

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