Britain eases rules on electric vehicles

The British government eased rules on carmakers requiring them to shift towards selling electric vehicles, as officials sought to blunt some of the pain caused by new auto tariffs on foreign cars sold in the United States.

- ESHE NELSON

British officials said Sunday that they would keep to the requirement to stop the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030, but give carmakers more flexibility to meet annual targets for electric vehicle sales between now and the 2030 deadline, so they could sell more cars in later years when demand is expected to be higher and face lower penalties. Officials also said that hybrid cars could be sold until 2035.

Last month, President Donald Trump announced a 25% tariff on imported cars and auto parts, escalating the complex supply chains that underpin the global auto industry. The tariffs on cars imported into the United States came into effect last week, and a levy on parts is set to begin next month.