UK to stick with EV targets as EU looks to water down petrol ban

{"text":[[{"start":null,"text":"

"}],[{"start":16.33,"text":"The British government has insisted it will not dilute plans to shift all new car sales to electric vehicles from 2035, as expectations grow that the EU will soon relax its own targets."}],[{"start":30.279999999999998,"text":"A Downing Street spokesperson on Friday said ministers remained committed to phasing out all non-zero emission car and van sales by 2035, despite industry pressure to slow down the transition."}],[{"start":44.18,"text":"The EU agreed in 2021 to ban new combustion engines from 2035. But it has come under heavy lobbying from the car industry and rightwing politicians, who argue it will hit European manufacturers who face high energy prices and competition from China."}],[{"start":64.22,"text":"EU officials are this weekend discussing options including allowances for range extenders and plug-in hybrids until 2040 or allowing new cars to emit a small fraction of carbon dioxide after 2035, which would permit a limited number of combustion engines to be sold."}],[{"start":83.6,"text":"The rules should be agreed within days ahead of their final presentation on December 16."}],[{"start":89.94999999999999,"text":"But the Downing Street spokesperson said Britain remained committed to its existing policy on electric vehicles. The UK will ban the sale of new diesel and petrol cars from 2030, although a small and diminishing number of hybrid sales will be allowed until 2035."}],[{"start":109.43999999999998,"text":"The government also has an “electric vehicles mandate” under which a certain proportion of new cars sold in Britain must be EVs, with that percentage climbing every year until 2035. Companies that miss the target have to pay fines."}],[{"start":128.54,"text":"About 23 per cent of new cars sold this year in the UK were EVs, below the government’s target of 28 per cent. The target is set to increase to 80 per cent in 2030."}],[{"start":142.98999999999998,"text":"The spokesperson said ministers had recently demonstrated their commitment by increasing funding for consumer grants for electric cars."}],[{"start":152.13,"text":"“There are more drivers than ever choosing electric,” the spokesperson said. “November saw another month of increased sales with EVs accounting for one in four cars sold. We are investing more than £7.5bn to support drivers and manufacturers that make the switch to zero-emission vehicles.”"}],[{"start":174.13,"text":"The review of the EU’s 2035 petrol ban was due to come next year but was brought forward after pressure from industry and Germany, where the sector directly accounts for about 770,000 jobs."}],[{"start":190.93,"text":"While Brussels is likely to loosen the 2035 ban to include other technologies such as hybrid vehicles, car executives expect various caveats attached to allowing non-EVs to be sold."}],[{"start":204.57,"text":"French industry minister Sébastien Martin, said during a visit to a battery plant inauguration in Dunkirk on Thursday, that he expected “some flexibility” from Europe on the 2035 target."}],[{"start":217.97,"text":"“We can see that 100 per cent electric in 2035 will be difficult to reach. Perhaps we can allow other technologies while we get to this objective,” he said."}],[{"start":229.7,"text":"François Provost, chief executive of French carmaker Renault, said Europe had “unrealistic decarbonisation objectives” and a “tsunami of regulation” that was increasing prices for customers and costs for carmakers."}],[{"start":245.95,"text":"He welcomed Brussels’ plans to review its regulation and said he was optimistic there would be “flexibility” on emissions rules."}],[{"start":254.1,"text":"Whatever the EU agrees, the British car industry is likely to ask the government for a planned review of the country’s EV sales target to be brought forward to next year instead of 2027."}],[{"start":268.6,"text":"“What happens in Europe matters to the UK industry,” said Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, noting the continent was the biggest market for UK automotive exports and the largest source of products for UK car buyers."}],[{"start":286.55,"text":"“Whilst no one has yet seen the details of what might be agreed at the EU level, a relaxing of regulation may give rise to the need to bring forward the UK review of its own regulation,” he added."}],[{"start":299.19,"text":"The industry has been particularly concerned about a new congestion charge on zero-emission cars in London and national plans for a pay-per-mile tax for EVs in last month’s Budget."}],[{"start":314.29,"text":"Tanya Sinclair, chief executive of Electric Vehicles UK, said the UK should not follow in the EU’s footsteps. “Walking back from that ambition now, in step with parts of Europe, would mean . . . weakening the UK’s position in a global transition that is moving, not slowing,” she added."}],[{"start":332.47,"text":"Manfred Weber, the German leader of the centre-right European People’s Party, in Heidelberg on Friday said the European Commission would submit “a clear proposal to abolish the ban” on Tuesday."}],[{"start":347.05,"text":"German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Friday said Berlin was advocating for “technology openness” in order to protect the industry. But officials in Brussels said the final details had not been agreed."}],[{"start":369.93,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1765757169_1748.mp3"}