A ban on hybrid car sales could be pushed back as ministers and carmakers clash over rules designed to phase out petrol and diesel models in the coming years.
Britain’s Labour government has previously pledged to restore the deadline for polluting car sales, including hybrids, to 2030 after the Conservatives delayed the date to 2035.
However, following pressure as the industry grapples to meet electric vehicle sales targets against lacklustre demand, ministers are reportedly mulling re-delaying the ban on hybrids.
“That would be our preference,” a government source told LBC when quizzed on the move, “there is going to be a need for us to take some political risks to make this work”.
Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds earlier this week said a “fast track” consultation would be held on Britain’s EV mandate, which means 22% of cars sold this year have to be electrics, before the figure increases annually.
One option reportedly under consideration by the government is to freeze the 22% EV sales target into next year, when carmakers are set to risk fines if 28% of volumes are not electrics.
The government has committed to keeping the 2030 target and signalled changes to the mandate could rather allow more flexibility to relax rules.
Trade body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reported on Thursday that car production in the UK had slumped by over 15% last month.
New zero emission products were “under intense pressure,” boss Mike Hawes had said, as British manufacturers struggled with “the toughest [EV] targets”.