Key facts
- Major carmakers including BMW, Ford, Nissan, and Toyota, along with parts maker Bosch, lobbied the UK government to allow sales of new petrol and diesel cars after 2035.
- The companies proposed an "open technology approach" that includes efficient internal combustion engines, hybrids, and vehicles using green steel and sustainable fuels.
- The UK government has stated the 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel car sales is not negotiable.
- Carmakers argue that sales requirements should match current consumer demand and point to the EU's adjusted electric car targets.
- Critics warn that delaying the transition risks the UK automotive industry falling behind and losing jobs.
Major car manufacturers, including BMW, Ford, Nissan, and Toyota, along with parts maker Bosch, have privately lobbied the UK government to reconsider the ban on new petrol and diesel cars scheduled for 2035. Documents obtained via a freedom of information request reveal the companies' call for an "open technology approach" that would permit the sale of highly efficient internal combustion engines, hybrids, and vehicles utilizing green steel and sustainable fuels beyond the 2035 deadline.
This lobbying effort aims to overturn a key decarbonisation policy, which the government's Climate Change Committee identifies as crucial for cutting UK carbon emissions in the next decade. A government spokesperson, however, stated that the 2035 ban is not up for negotiation. Despite this, successive governments have introduced flexibilities into electric vehicle targets, and the current administration is reportedly considering further changes to the zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate due to industry pressure.
Campaigners and EV brands like Polestar have strongly criticized the carmakers' stance, calling it a "historic policy failure" during a climate emergency and urging acceleration of the transition to electric vehicles. They argue that the technology and economic case for EVs are already strong, and there is no justification for prolonging dependence on fossil fuels.
Carmakers justify their position by citing the need to match consumer demand and referencing the EU's decision to weaken its own electric car targets. They also propose that extra emissions could be offset by using lower-carbon steel and "e-fuels," though experts question the large-scale viability of e-fuels due to energy wastage. The manufacturers' influence stems partly from their significant employment in the UK.