Scrapping UK grants for hybrid cars 'astounding', says industry

Government ends incentives to buy new hybrids and cuts those for electric vehicles

Incentives for consumers to buy hybrid and electric cars rather than diesel or petrol alternatives have been slashed by the government, adding thousands of pounds to the price of a new low-emission vehicle.

Car manufacturers said the decision was an "astounding" move. It comes only three months after the transport secretary, Chris Grayling, published a Road to Zero strategy to curb vehicle emissions by promoting greener cars and three days after the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change called for an urgent switch to electric vehicles.