Backlash against ‘short-termist’ UK plans to weaken EV sales targets

Weakening the targets ‘allows car manufacturers to decelerate development of EVs at a time when they should be doing exactly the opposite’, said the UK managing director of Polestar. Photograph: Temilade Adelaja/Reuters

The UK government’s plans to further weaken electric car targets have provoked a furious backlash from the charging industry and the electric car brand Polestar, which would lose out from the changes.

The government is expected to dilute rules known as the zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate. Government sources have said it will reduce a target for pure electric cars from 80% of all sales by 2030 to 50%.