Carmakers claimed EV sales rules would risk British jobs

Carmakers have claimed that leaving electric car sales rules unchanged would threaten British jobs and cost them hundreds of millions of pounds, according to documents that show private lobbying for a slower transition away from fossil fuels.

- Jasper Jolly

BMW, Jaguar Land Rover, Nissan and Toyota claimed that rules forcing them to sell more electric cars each year would harm investment in the UK, according to responses to proposed changes submitted to the government. The responses were obtained by Fast Charge, a newsletter covering electric cars.

JLR, the Land Rover maker, said leaving the rules unchanged would "materially damage UK producers' ability to invest in vehicle lines".

The last Conservative government said last year that automotive manufacturers must sell an increasing proportion of electric cars each year, or else face steep fines, under rules known as the zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate.

Electric car sales have increased rapidly, accounting for more than a fifth of the market in July. However, carmakers earlier overestimated the demand, meaning they have been forced to cut prices to attract buyers.