Kemi Badenoch says the Conservatives will repeal the UK ban on petrol and diesel cars if they win the next election.
Publication in the Sunday TelegraphThe Conservative Party leader said the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate is “well-intentioned but ultimately destructive legislation”.
From 2030, all new cars will be required to be electric or hybrid as part of the government's efforts to meet a legally binding net zero target by 2050.
The Conservative leader's comments came after her meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who has been lobbying the EU to ease its own ban plans.
Net zero refers to the balance between the amount of greenhouse gases produced and the amount removed from the atmosphere.
Six EU countries, including Italy, recently called on other member states to rethink plans to phase out new petrol and diesel cars by 2035, saying it could harm industry competitiveness.
Badenoch suggested the EU had signaled it would reverse a blanket ban, adding: “The reality is that changing the EU's views on electric vehicles will leave Labor even more isolated, and by going ahead alone we are putting our home industry at a disadvantage while giving others the opportunity to dominate global supply chains.”
She said the only “winners in this economic self-destruction are China.”
The Conservative leader added that her government would still pursue a “transition to cleaner transport” but that it would be driven by “affordability, practicality and technological progress” rather than “unrealistic mandates that weaken domestic production and empower foreign competitors.”
Speaking to broadcasters on Monday, Badenoch said “car manufacturers have already stopped investing in the UK and many people are moving their production to other countries.”
Instead, she said, the market should be allowed to decide when to phase out petrol and diesel cars.
“People want to do what they can for the environment, but they need to be able to do it in a sustainable way that they can afford. We need a common sense approach,” Badenoch said.
She said lifting the mandate would provide “space” for the UK's car industry to recover.
British car companies were They are said to have been separated due to the 2030 deadlinewith some calling for additional support to be able to meet this need.
In its latest Budget, the Government announced an additional £1.3 billion investment in the UK's Electric Vehicle Grant Scheme to encourage drivers to switch to electric vehicles.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves also announced that from April 2028, drivers of battery electric vehicles, including plug-in hybrids, will be charged an EV excise duty of 3p per mile. some argue the move could make electric vehicles less attractive..
The ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars was originally introduced in 2020 by then Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Badenoch, then a cabinet minister, opposed the plans.
Rishi Sunak later delayed it to 2035, and the Labor Party has promised to move it into its 2024 election manifesto.
A Department for Transport spokesman said the Government remains “committed to phasing out the sale of all new non-zero emission cars and vans”.
They said: “More drivers than ever are choosing electric vehicles.”
The next UK general election is due to take place before 15 August 2029, but the Prime Minister can call an election at any time before then.
