Major carmakers including BMW, Ford, Nissan, and Toyota privately lobbied the UK government to revoke the 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel cars, according to documents obtained via a freedom of information request. The companies argued for a multipath strategy allowing internal combustion engines, hybrids, and e-fuels beyond 2035, but critics say this would undermine the UK's key decarbonization policy. The UK government insists the 2035 ban is not up for negotiation, though it has already added flexibilities to electric vehicle targets. Campaigners and EV brand Polestar strongly criticized the lobbying, calling it a historic policy failure. The switch to electric vehicles is the single biggest contributor to cutting UK carbon emissions in the next decade, according to the Climate Change Committee. The lobbying effort highlights ongoing tension between automakers and climate policy. While carmakers cite consumer demand and job concerns, experts argue that e-fuels are not viable at scale and that delaying the transition risks leaving UK factories and communities behind as Chinese EV competition grows.
