Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), the UK’s largest automotive manufacturer, told the government that the original electric car sales mandate would “materially damage UK producers’ ability to invest in vehicle lines.” This warning was instrumental in the decision to relax the rules.
In its private submission, the company argued that the financial pressures created by the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate were a direct threat to its long-term investment plans in the country. Meeting the targets, it claimed, required unsustainable spending that would divert funds from developing the next generation of cars.
This argument, coming from a company with multiple British factories and a deep manufacturing heritage, carried significant weight. It was part of a broader industry narrative that the government’s green ambitions were inadvertently undermining the very industrial base needed to achieve them.
While the government’s decision to add “flexibilities” has alleviated this pressure, critics argue it has also reduced the incentive for companies like JLR to accelerate their transition. The debate continues over whether the original mandate was a catalyst for investment in new technology or a barrier to it.