The UK’s rapid transition to green transport has hit a red light, with the government agreeing to slow down after a major policy battle with the country’s carmakers. The industry’s successful lobbying campaign means more petrol cars will be sold for longer.
Automotive giants from JLR to Nissan had warned that the government’s original Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate was too fast and too costly. They claimed it threatened UK jobs, would stifle R&D, and was out of sync with consumer demand, forcing them into unsustainable price wars.
Faced with this united industrial front, the government conceded, introducing new “flexibilities” to the rules in April. The industry celebrated the move as “pragmatic,” arguing it protects the UK’s manufacturing base from what they saw as overzealous regulation.
However, the victory for the carmakers is a defeat for the UK’s climate timeline. Environmental advisers had warned that such changes could increase carbon emissions. The episode concludes a key chapter in UK climate policy, with industrial interests successfully applying the brakes to the pace of government-mandated change.