Electric vehicle sales targets could be cut after pressure from car makers

The UK's electric vehicle (EV) sales target could be cut after the government launched a review following pressure from car makers.

Currently 80% of all new cars sold must be EVs by 2030 - but motor industry figures had urged ministers to reduce that goal, warning it would cost too much and put jobs at risk.

The government has now said it is considering cutting that figure to as far as 50% of all sales by the end of the decade, which it will consult on until late October.

Environmental groups have argued that watering down the target undermines the UK's long-term climate goals.

Under the current policy, known as the ZEV mandate, the percentage of new car sales that need to be EVs increases each year, from 33% for 2026 until it reaches 80% by 2030.

An outright ban on selling purely petrol or diesel cars past 2030 will stay in place, something that Labour promised in its election manifesto.

However the changes now being consulted on could allow car makers to sell more hybrid vehicles as a proportion of the UK's overall sales.

That means if the government drops pure electric sales targets to 50%, the other 50% would need to be hybrid.