The government has announced a relaxation of electric vehicle (EV) sales targets to help the car industry in the wake of US President Donald Trump’s trade tariffs.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has promised “bold changes” after the US implemented a 25% levy on imported cars and a 10% tariff on other products. In a speech today, Starmer announced that the government would push ahead with Labour’s manifesto promise to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030.
This is five years earlier than the proposed ban in 2023 from the former Tory government. However, due to the new trade tariffs, regulations around manufacturing targets on electric cars and vans are to be altered, to help car companies with the transition.
Under the government’s new plans, petrol and diesel vans will also be allowed to be sold until 2035, along with hybrids and plug-in hybrid cars. Alongside this car firms such as Aston Martin and McLaren will still be allowed to produce petrol cars beyond the 2030 date. This is because they only manufacture a small number of vehicles per year.
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The government is also going to make it easier for manufacturers who do not comply with the government’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which sets sales targets, to avoid fines, and the levies will be reduced. Officials have said support for the car industry will continue to be kept under review as the full impact of the tariffs announced last week becomes clear.
All-electric vehicles – also referred to as battery electric vehicles (BEVs) – have an electric motor instead of an internal combustion engine. This means it has zero tailpipe emissions, meaning they don’t emit exhaust fumes and don’t contribute to the greenhouse effect. That makes them better for the environment and are more energy efficient than cars with a combustion engine.
Electric vehicles have become increasingly popular over the last few years, particularly as governments across the world push for Net Zero. Sales of EVs in Europe reached an all-time high in 2023, with nearly 3.2 million units sold, an increase of 20% compared to the previous year, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).
In the past, one of the major cons of electric vehicles was that they did not offer drivers the same distance as a traditional petrol/diesel one would. However, over the last few years, electric vehicles have improved, and now many electric vehicles can travel distances in excess of 200 miles on a single charge – and some over 400 miles.
Many may be considering switching from petrol to electric in the coming years as Labour’s ban is still set to be in place. But what options are there out there? According to the experts at Auto Express, there are the top 10 longest-range electric cars on sale right now.
The DVLA’s new car regulations will lead to some drivers paying significantly more each year, depending on the vehicle. Ths includes a new standard road tax rate, fresh taxes for electric vehicles (EVs), increased levies for low-emission vehicles and a doubling of first-year rates for high-polluting new cars.
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