Inside the Push to Keep Petrol Cars on UK Roads Past 2035

Major automakers including BMW, Ford, Nissan. Toyota, and parts supplier Bosch secretly lobbied the UK government to scrap its planned 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel cars, newly released documents show. The letter, obtained by The Fast Charge newsletter through a freedom of information request and shared with the Guardian, urged ministers to allow a "multi-path strategy" that includes hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and even internal combustion engines running on green steel or synthetic fuels beyond the deadline.

The 2035 ban is central to the UK's plan to cut carbon emissions, with electric vehicle adoption expected to deliver the biggest pollution reductions over the next decade.

The companies argue that consumer demand hasn't kept pace with government mandates, and they want the UK to follow the EU's lead by softening its targets, requiring 90% electric car sales by 2035 instead of 100%. But critics, including Polestar UK's managing director Matt Galvin, call the push a "historic policy failure" that ignores both the climate crisis and growing consumer interest in EVs.

"There is simply no justification for prolonging our dependence on petrol and diesel," Galvin said. The manufacturers employ roughly 30,000 people in the UK, giving them significant leverage in Westminster.

A government spokesperson insists the 2035 ban is not up for negotiation, noting that EV sales rose 35% in June compared to last year and that a £2 billion grant program is helping more drivers switch. Still, Labour has already introduced flexibilities into the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate, and further changes are under consideration.

Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit transport lead Colin Walker warned that automakers fighting the transition risk leaving UK factories and communities behind. "There is simply no technology that can rival electrification when it comes to reducing emissions and offering significantly lower running costs," he said.