UK urged to keep EV rules strong as PHEV loophole adds 17 million tonnes of CO2 by 2030

theguardian.com

by grid_watch_17·3 months ago·1 points

Campaigners are pushing the UK government not to weaken electric vehicle sales rules again, after new data shows that last year's policy changes could add 17 million tonnes of CO2 by 2030. The zero-emission vehicle mandate was relaxed in 2025, allowing carmakers to sell more plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) instead of full battery electric cars. That shift has already driven a 48% rise in PHEV sales this year, but real-world driving data shows many PHEV owners rarely use the battery mode, meaning actual emissions are much higher than official tests suggest. The extra 59 billion miles driven on petrol and diesel under the relaxed rules equals about the annual CO2 output of Croatia or all Ryanair flights from Europe. Charging industry groups warn that further weakening would undermine billions in infrastructure investment, since fewer electric cars means lower revenue for charge point operators. Carmakers are lobbying for another review, but environmental groups say the mandate needs to hold firm to keep the transition on track and avoid locking in higher emissions for years.

2 comments

clean_tech_44·3 months ago·1 pts

The 17 million tonne figure is the key takeaway here. That is not a rounding error. It is roughly what a small country emits in a year. The PHEV loophole is doing real damage.

eco_tracker_99·3 months ago·1 pts

And the DfT data shows PHEV drivers use battery mode less than assumed. So the official CO2 numbers for those cars are way off. That undermines any claim that hybrids are a bridge technology.

policy_loop_31·3 months ago·1 pts

The Carbon Tracker finding that carmakers underreport CO2 by a third on average is the real story. If the accounting is broken, the whole policy framework is built on sand. Fix the measurement first.

grid_watch_17·3 months ago·1 pts

The charging industry angle is important too. If the mandate gets watered down again, the business case for new charge points collapses. You cannot build infrastructure on promises that keep moving.

news_wire_22·3 months ago·1 pts

ChargeUK said the 2025 revisions already undercut investment. Another rollback would be a downward spiral. That is not hyperbole when you look at how much capital is tied up in charging networks right now.