The clock is ticking. By 2035, all new cars sold in the UK must be entirely emissions-free.

This looming deadline is reshaping the automotive industry—and opening new doors for UK companies. Some are seizing the moment, driving innovation and creating jobs along the way.

But significant hurdles remain. Studies continue to show that cost, range anxiety, charging time, and a lack of robust charging infrastructure are key concerns holding many drivers back from switching to electric vehicles (EVs).

Still, momentum is building. According to the Department for Transport, one in every five new cars sold in the UK in May was electric, putting the country ahead of the rest of Europe in EV sales so far this year.

Automakers are now in a race to make EVs as convenient and seamless to use as traditional petrol and diesel vehicles.

For Cambridge-based startup Nyobolt, the focus is on revolutionizing battery charging. In tests with a custom-built electric sports car, Nyobolt’s new battery powered up from 10% to 80% in just 4 minutes and 37 seconds using a 350kW charger—far outpacing most fast-charging options currently available.

The battery is built to last, too, withstanding 4,000 full charge cycles while retaining over 80% of its capacity.

“It’s like refueling a petrol car,” says Ramesh Narasimhan, Nyobolt’s vice president. “Most EVs today, even with fast charging, take around 40 minutes to charge. That’s a lot of time taken from the driver, and it requires planning your journey around charging stops.”

As 2035 approaches, companies like Nyobolt are pushing to make electric vehicles not just a greener choice—but a more practical one, too.