SMMT Electrified – the UK’s preeminent summit on the electrification of road transport – will take place at the QEII Centre in London, on 12 March.
The event is the UK automotive industry’s leading forum focused on the transition to zero emission vehicles, bringing together senior figures from across government, manufacturing and the wider mobility ecosystem.
There will be more than 400 senior representatives from industry, government, key partner sectors such as infrastructure, energy, fleets, insurance and logistics, and other stakeholders to discuss how the industry can jointly make the transition to zero emission mobility a resounding and unequivocal success.
The event will also provide a critical platform to explore the policies, investment and collaboration needed to accelerate the shift to EVs and other zero emission technologies, supporting the UK’s journey to net zero.
Michael Tickle, Supply Chain Planning Director, at Jaguar Land Rover said: “Events like this in the UK are really important. It’s bringing together all of the players at a really transitional time for the industry.”
In the middle of prevailing economic headwinds and global trade uncertainty, the UK’s transition to zero emission vehicles has recently received a timely and much needed shot in the arm.
The £2.5 billion secured for a decade-long research and investment programme, coupled with long overdue commitment through the Industrial Strategy to reduce business energy cost as well as the completion of several trade deals with key partners, are expected to go a long way towards making the UK competitive again as a location for manufacturing the cleanest vehicles.
As of early 2026, the UK government has introduced a series of measures designed to accelerate the adoption of Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEVs) in response to a challenging market, including refreshed consumer incentives and increased charging infrastructure support.
For example,theElectric Car Grant, now offers savings of up to £3,750 on new EVs to combat high upfront costs. Additionally, some manufacturers are offering discounts of up to £9,250 to stimulate demand.
Also, from April 1, home and workplace charging grants are increasing from £350 to up to £500 for renters, flat owners, and businesses, running until March 2027. This is designed to add to the more than 87,000 public charging points already in place.
In addition, reforms are in place this year aimed at reducing delays in connecting new, clean power generation and infrastructure to the grid, which includes supporting charging network expansion.
Changes to the ZEV Mandate in 2026 also requires 24% of new vans to be zero emission in 2026, with forecasts suggesting a significant rise in EV market share.
The industry is looking to these measures to maintain momentum towards the 2030, 100% ZEV target.
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said: “Every part of our industry is gearing up to deliver net zero.
“Provide the right landscape, and we will deliver the growth the nation seeks – £50 billion worth of growth over the next decade.”
SMMT Electrified event partners are Autotrader, DHL, DSV, EV Battery Solutions, Freightline, Infor, Shoosmiths as well as South Carolina Department of Commerce.
Speakers at the conference will include policy makers, senior executives from vehicle manufacturers, and a host of experts from the automotive and aligned industries.
Also, Keir Mather MP, Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Decarbonisation at the Department for Transport, will provide the government keynote address.
Chris Pritchett, Partner and Energy and Infrastructure sector co-lead at Shoosmiths, will moderate a panel exploring whether the UK is doing enough to decarbonise heavy commercial vehicles, which currently lag passenger cars by more than a decade in the zero emission transition.
The discussion will examine the urgent actions needed, covering infrastructure, cost and technology suitability, to accelerate the shift to zero emission heavy-duty fleets.
Pritchett said: “You can genuinely say you heard it first here at a conference, so for those of us who want to be at the cutting edge of this industry, and driving the policy changes that it requires, there’s only one place to be.”
Here is a list of the confirmed speakers and the organisations they represent:
Keynote and Fireside speakers
- Lisa Brankin, Chair and Managing Director of Ford of Britain and Ireland
- Jan Kohlmeier, Managing Director of MAN Truck & Bus UK
- Keir Mather MP, Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Decarbonisation at the Department for Transport
- Andrew Miller, Chief Executive Officer, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
- Martin Sander, Member of the Board of Management for Sales, Marketing and After Sales at Volkswagen Passenger Cars
- Nic Thomas, Managing Director, Changan UK
- Sir Jim Skea, Chair, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Panelists
- Michael Boxwell, Corporate Development Director, Voltempo Group
- John Bozzella, President and Chief Executive Officer, Alliance for Automotive Innovation (Auto Innovators)
- Eurig Druce, SVP, Group Managing Director, Stellantis UK
- Richard Finchett, Deputy Managing Director, Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK
- Chris Gall, Engineering Director, Alexander Dennis
- Jürgen Guldner, General Programme Manager, Hydrogen Technology, BMW Group
- David Johnson, Head of Public Affairs UK and Ireland, Michelin Tyre
- Maria Linkova-Nijs, Executive Head of Policy and Strategy, European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA)
- Ian Macaulay, UKI Decarbonisation Programme Lead, DHL Supply Chain
- Amy Stokes, Decarbonisation Director, Volvo Trucks UK & Ireland
- Peter McDonald, Director, Ohme
- Patrick McGillycuddy, Managing Director, JLR UK
- Nicole Melillo Shaw, Managing Director, Volvo Car UK
- Ian Plummer, Chief Customer Officer, Autotrader (Moderator)
- Chris Pritchett, Partner, Energy & Infrastructure Sector Co Lead, Shoosmiths (Moderator)
- Mark Shepherd, Assistant Director, Head of General Insurance Policy, The ABI
- Melanie Shufflebotham, Co-founder and COO, Zapmap
- Anthony Simpson, EV and Storage Manager, National Energy System Operator (NESO)
- Sally Whiteman, Director Tech Product, NIO UK
Eman Martin-Vignerte, Director of Political Affairs at Bosch UK, said: “SMMT conferences are brilliant.
“You get a great insight about the future trends in the automotive sector, and it’s also the place to be meeting leaders from the automotive industry.”
Registration is open and SMMT members are eligible for one complimentary ticket per member organisation – subject to availability.
Additional member tickets are available at a 50% discounted rate. Also, tickets for non-members are available for purchase.
For information on tickets, exhibition opportunities and partnership packages, email [email protected].
