Conservatives announced proposals to lift the ban on new petrol and diesel cars in 2030 and reduce the legal requirement for car makers to sell electric cars.
The Conservative government will end the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate, ending the legal requirement for manufacturers to sell a fixed percentage of zero-emission vehicles each year – 80% of new cars and 70% of new vans by 2030, rising to 100% by 2035. It will also reverse the 2030 ban on new cars. petrol and diesel cars.
A future Conservative government will also scrap all non-research and development subsidies associated with the ZEV mandate to “free manufacturers from costlier regulatory obligations”, which the party estimates will save £3.8 billion over the next decade. Ministers will maintain infrastructure funding to continue developing the electric vehicle market.
Kemi Badenoch, Conservative Party leader, said: “Labour's net zero commitment is having a disastrous impact on the UK car industry. The Conservatives will ensure we protect the environment, but we will do so without making families bear the brunt of the costs or forcing carmakers to meet deadlines that do not reflect consumer demand.”
“By scrapping the ZEV mandate and the petrol car ban, we are bringing fairness and common sense back into the system and saving taxpayers money. Britain succeeds when we support business and support innovation – this is our plan to strengthen the economy.”
Letter in TelegraphBadenoch said she was inspired by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her “common sense approach to net zero,” which requires that “any effort to tackle carbon emissions must not make Italy’s economy worse.”
The previous Conservative government delayed a ban on new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 until 2035 in 2023. However, Labor reinstated the ban and will require every new car to be zero-emission by 2035 on the grounds that the deadline will provide certainty to manufacturers and consumers.
The ZEV mandate is a result of the Climate Change Act and its net zero tariff by 2050, which the Conservatives have pledged to scrap.
Doug Parr, policy director at Greenpeace UK, said: “Nothing the Tories are proposing is likely to come into force until 2029, which is a year after the ban comes into force.
“If ever a political party wanted to sow confusion and uncertainty in one of Britain's most important manufacturing industries, this is what they have done. It is the opposite of what is needed to cut pollution, reduce operating costs for drivers and secure long-term jobs.”
“Chinese electric cars will soon be better and cheaper than anything made in Europe or the UK. A phase-out date to encourage UK production must be part of the answer. Removing the rules would be a complete disaster. It would undermine investment and leave manufacturers facing uncertainty in a rapidly changing global market. The Tories introduced this policy and they should leave it alone.”
A government spokesman said: “We remain committed to phasing out the sale of all new non-zero emission cars and vans by 2035. More drivers than ever are choosing electric vehicles, and November saw another month of increased sales, with electric vehicles accounting for one in four vehicles sold.
“We are investing more than £7.5 billion to support drivers and manufacturers making the transition to net-zero emissions. This includes a £4 billion investment to support UK manufacturing and research and development, creating jobs and driving growth in the sector.”
“Our EV grant makes choosing an electric car cheaper than ever, with more than 40,000 drivers saving up to £3,750 since launch, supported by an additional £1.3 billion announced in the Autumn Budget.”
