Rules on the percentage of electric vehicles (EVs) that carmakers must sell will not be weakened, the transport secretary has said, despite growing pressure from the industry.
The mandate will become stricter next year before a complete ban on new diesel and petrol cars in 2035, but carmakers have suggested the rules could threaten jobs.
Several senior government ministers and carmakers with factories in the UK will hold crucial discussions this week on the electric vehicle mandate and falling demand for cars.
Louise Haigh said she would look at “flexibilities” but insisted “the mandate will not be weakened”.
“There has been a drop in demand globally, so we are absolutely in listening mode. We want to discuss how the current situation affects them, but we are not diluting our ambition,” the EU secretary said on Sunday. transport on LBC radio.
“I'm meeting with Nissan tomorrow and the business secretary, the energy minister and I are meeting with a number of car manufacturers later in the week to discuss the challenges they face globally.”
According to the mandate, electric vehicles must account for 22% of a company's car sales and 10% of its minivan sales this year. For every car sale that pushes it outside this mandate, they must pay a fine of £15,000.
The rules become stricter each year ahead of a complete ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars by 2035, although Labor said in its manifesto it would bring forward this ban to 2030 – restoring the old target – in as part of their wider commitments to climate change policy. .
Trade body Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said the industry will “likely miss” this year's targets – calculating that around 18% of UK car sales are currently electric vehicles.
SMMT and carmakers say they support the government's long-term goals, but they expect concessions in this week's negotiations.
One suggestion would be that the penalties car manufacturers must pay for failing to meet the targets be reduced, according to the BBC.
Meanwhile, the SMMT is calling for government subsidies for electric vehicle buyers and tax changes.
It says changes are needed to deal with falling demand, with its data showing new car registrations in the UK remain a fifth lower than pre-Covid.
A Nissan spokesperson told the BBC it was “committed to playing a full role in the UK's transition to net zero”, but said “changes are needed now to reflect market reality, as we continue to work together to encourage more change.” drivers to make the change.”
A spokesperson for Stellantis – which owns Citroën, Peugeot, Vauxhall and several other car brands – said it was aligned with the mandate's objectives.
But he added: “To remain effective in the UK, we are strategically reviewing our operations in collaboration with our union partners, as previously announced.”
In April, Stellantis chief executive Carlos Tavares told The Telegraph newspaper that the rules were “terrible” and could force the carmaker to reduce its presence in the UK.
The Unite union has urged the company to commit to its future at its Luton and Ellesmere Port factories to address the “fears and rumours” it created by announcing the strategic review.
Unite added that it was “already having constructive discussions with government and industry to reform the electric vehicle mandate to protect jobs”.
