
The UK is hitting the brakes on its electric vehicle (EV) ambitions, and it's all thanks to Donald Trump's tariff tsunami. On 7 April 2025, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer unveiled plans to loosen strict EV sales targets, a move aimed at protecting Britain's car industry from the crushing weight of new US import levies.
With Trump's administration slapping a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico—and a 10-54% range on others—the UK's automotive sector, a £70 billion ($89 billion) economic engine, faced a stark choice: adapt or crumble.