The government has said it is stepping in to help the British car industry by making the rules on manufacturers going all-electric more flexible. A ban on producing new petrol and diesel cars will come into effect in 2030, after ministers reinstated a deadline that had been pushed back by ex-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. However, on Sunday, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said that while the government is committed to the 2030 deadline, she would relax regulations which dictate how firms make the switch in order to “protect and create jobs”.
President Donald Trump has imposed a 25% levy on cars imported to the US, which is a major export market for the UK motor industry. The government said it had worked with UK car manufacturers to simultaneously “strengthen its commitment to the phase out” while introducing “practical reforms to support industry meet this ambition”.
Under the current electric vehicle (EV) mandate, manufacturers are at risk of fines of £15,000 per car sold that does not meet the latest emissions standards. The ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars was extended to 2035 under the previous Conservative government, but Labour promised to restore the 2030 deadline in its manifesto for the 2024 election.
Car industry leaders have previously warned that drivers were not switching to electric vehicles at the rate needed to meet the deadline due to the cost of buying the cars privately and a lack of charging point infrastructure.
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