Ministers 'to water down Net Zero electric car targets next week' in bid to prop up UK industry after Trump tariffs

Looser Net Zero targets for electrical cars could beryllium unveiled arsenic soon arsenic adjacent week successful the aftermath of Donald Trump's tariffs attack.

The US president is piling 25 per cent levies connected each foreign-made vehicles and parts successful his 'Liberation Day' assault.

That has sparked fears of 25,000 occupation losses, with cars among the UK's biggest exports to America, worthy billions of pounds each year.

Keir Starmer is frantically trying to negociate a bundle to exempt Britain from the charges, though hopes person been fading. 

Downing Street refused to beryllium drawn connected claims that the zero emanation vehicles (Zev) mandate could beryllium eased adjacent week, with targets downgraded and scope for hybrids to beryllium sold for longer.  

Under the existent strategy astatine slightest 28 per cent of caller cars sold by each shaper this twelvemonth indispensable beryllium zero emission, which mostly means axenic electric.

The percentages emergence each year, reaching 80 per cent of caller cars successful 2030.

But figures contiguous suggested the level is astatine astir 19 per cent. Brands could look fines of up to £15,000 for each conveyance beneath the target. 

Ministers person hinted astatine a 'substantial alteration of policy' aft Nissan warned that the aboriginal of its Sunderland works was successful doubt. 

However, it would beryllium different stroke to Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband, who has already seen his absorption to airdrome enlargement contradicted by Chancellor Rachel Reeves. 

A spokesperson for the PM stressed the authorities 'remains committed to the EV transition'. 

He said ministers are 'working to reconstruct clarity to the industry'. 

The Government is analysing feedback from a caller consultation connected projected changes to the rules, which could see making it easier for non-compliant manufacturers to debar fines.

That closed earlier the US announced its tariffs. 

Ministers person antecedently committed to reverse Rishi Sunak's determination successful September 2023 to hold banning the merchantability of conventionally fuelled caller cars and vans from 2030 until 2035.

There person been called for tariffs connected Tesla imports arsenic its proprietor Elon Musk is adjacent state of Mr Trump.

Analysts Tussell published figures successful January showing Tesla had received £188 cardinal successful payer subsidies from the Department for Transport since 2016.

These related to the plug-in car grant, which enables radical to prevention wealth connected the acquisition of low-emission vehicles.

Ms Reeves told the BBC last week: 'We don't privation to get into a commercialized war, but we are looking astatine the zero emanation conveyance mandate, which is, I think, wherefore immoderate of that wealth goes to Tesla, and looking astatine however we tin amended enactment the car manufacturing manufacture successful the UK.'