UK’s shift on car sales rules may lead to higher emissions, says statutory adviser

Up to 500,000 more plug-in hybrids could be sold because of government flexibility on the zero-emission mandate

The UK government's weakening of vehicle sales rules in April could result in fewer electric cars on British roads and higher carbon emissions, according to its official climate adviser.

The Climate Change Committee (CCC) said flexibilities announced by Keir Starmer last month for the government's zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate could lead to more plug-in hybrids being sold at the expense of some EV sales, which would lead to a further reduction in emissions savings".