The British car industry has welcomed government proposals that could allow Toyota Prius-style hybrids to continue to be sold in the UK after 2030, as part of a package of measures to ease regulations on carmakers.
The UK government published details on Christmas Eve of a consultation on which cars should be allowed on sale after 2030 – when sales of new petrol and diesel cars will be banned – as well as on how it will relax rules that force manufacturers to sell more electric cars every year.
The industry has been waiting for years for clarity on which cars will be allowed on sale after 2030. At the same time, over the past few months it has lobbied hard for changes to the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which forces manufacturers to sell more electric cars in the five years until then. Carmakers argued that they were being forced into unsustainable discounts to entice drivers to switch to electric.
Mike Hawes, the chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders lobby group, said: “These are both critical issues for an industry that is facing…
