As the government considers measures to relax regulations governing the sale of electric vehicles, automakers may be permitted to sell hybrid cars similar to the Toyota Prius in the UK until 2035.
The government started a fast-track survey earlier this week to decide what kinds of electric vehicles automakers can offer following a 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel automobiles.
The Financial Times reported that Louise Haigh, the transport secretary, was open to permitting the sale of "full hybrid" models that use a regular engine in addition to a battery. Haigh resigned on Friday after it was revealed that she had been found guilty of fraud in 2014 over a missing work phone.
This technology was pioneered by Toyota with its Prius model and is now commonly used by several manufacturers. It cuts overall emissions but does not allow cars to drive for long periods without using the petrol or diesel engine.
Unlike plug-in hybrid vehicles with larger batteries, full hybrid vehicles use their engine to recharge instead of charging points.
Labour pledged in its manifesto to restore the original 2030 phase-out date for the sale of new cars with pure internal combustion engines, which had been pushed back to 2035. In September, it emerged that the government was studying how long to allow the sale of hybrid cars.
The automotive industry has been lobbying for a change to the UK’s zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which forces brands to sell an increasing proportion of electric cars each year, saying that the consumer demand for pure-electric vehicles continued to remain much lower than had been expected.
Last week, Ford announced it was cutting 4,000 jobs in Europe, including 800 in the UK, citing a need to reduce costs because of a slowdown in electric vehicle sales.
On Tuesday, Stellantis, the owner of brands including Vauxhall, put 1,100 jobs at risk, blaming the UK’s week economic conditions and the government’s ZEV mandate. That evening, Jonathan Reynolds, the business secretary, told a dinner for 1,000 car industry executives that the government would “fast-track” changes.
Under the mandate, electric cars must make up 22% of sales of new vehicles this year, rising to 28% in 2025 – albeit with important loopholes that can reduce the target considerably. If they miss their targets, carmakers face fines of up to £15,000 for each vehicle.
No carmakers publicly argue with the goal of 80% battery electric cars by 2030, before a complete ban on new petrol and diesel engines in 2035.
However, a decision to allow the sale of Prius-style cars after 2030 would be welcomed by the industry to help the transition away from full petrol and diesel cars.
The FT cited a government source who said that allowing the sale of full hybrids after 2030 would be a “break glass in case of emergency” scenario.
The consultation will also look at other areas of the ZEV mandate, including the “trading” loophole, which allows carmakers to buy credits from rivals to avoid fines, which could be expanded or extended.
Electric vehicles accounted for 18% of sales between January and October, below the 22% ZEV mandate threshold, while full hybrid sales made up 13.5%.
Plug-in hybrids accounted for 8.4% of car sales, according to sales data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
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