The specific arguments that convinced the UK government to back down on its ambitious electric car targets have been laid bare in a series of private documents. The papers show a multi-pronged lobbying strategy from carmakers that combined economic threats with practical market concerns.
One key argument was that consumer demand was not keeping pace with the mandated supply of EVs, forcing unsustainable price cuts. A second was the sheer scale of potential fines, which Toyota estimated could run into “hundreds of millions of pounds,” posing an existential threat to UK operations.
A third line of attack, led by BMW, was that the UK’s rules were “radical” compared to other regions, making it an uncompetitive manufacturing base, especially after Brexit. Finally, JLR introduced a trade-focused complaint, arguing the system was inadvertently subsidising Chinese EV dominance.
This combination of arguments proved overwhelming. Despite advice from climate experts to stay the course, the government amended the ZEV mandate. The documents provide a clear case study in how targeted, intensive lobbying from a vital industry can lead to significant shifts in national environmental policy.
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