UK Government Under Pressure to Review Strict Electric Car Rules as Large Fines Loom

The UK’s business secretary acknowledged the ’severity' of the situation as carmakers warned that net-zero mandates could force brands to leave the UK market.

A sign directing toward electric vehicle charging points in a car park in Manchester, England, on Sept. 8, 2023. Phil Noble/Reuters

Carmakers have warned they face nearly 6 billion pounds ($7.6 billion) in compliance costs to meet the UK’s strict electric vehicle (EV) sales mandate and have urged the government to reconsider its course of action.

The country’s rules requiring that at least 22 percent of an automaker’s new car sales in 2024 be purely EVs have raised increasing concerns from the automotive industry, which is calling for urgent government intervention.