Jaguar Land Rover threatened to cut back investment in the UK as it pressed the new Labour government to relax quotas on the number of electric vehicles it must sell.
Correspondence obtained by The Sunday Times revealed how Adrian Mardell, JLR’s chief executive, privately warned ministers that pushing ahead with the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate without changes would hit the car industry.
Labour promised in its election manifesto to reinstate a 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles as part of its net-zero drive, after the deadline was pushed back by five years under Rishi Sunak.
Adrian Mardell highlighted how consumer demand for EVs “currently falls far short” of the quotas
JASON KOERNER/GETTY IMAGES
However, amid intensive industry lobbying, ministers are now consulting on whether to relax the targets.
Last year, the government’s electric vehicle
