Cheap electric car finance could be on the cards as government aims to boost sales

Cheap car finance for EVs could be on the cards as the government scrambles to boost the number of UK electric car sales and appease disgruntled manufacturers amidst anger surrounding the ZEV mandate.

Writing in the Observer on Sunday, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds, told readers that the government “want[s] to do everything possible to make sure the next generation of zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) are designed and built right here in Britain [and] are affordable and accessible for working people”.

These statements come shortly after Reynolds announced at the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders’ (SMMT) annual dinner that Labour was seeking to conduct a review into the controversial ZEV mandate. This requires manufacturers to ensure a fixed and growing proportion of their output comprises electric and other zero-emissions vehicles, lest they receive a hefty fine of as much as £15,000 per car over the annual threshold.

While the business secretary’s words may cast some obscurity over the government’s approach to the current situation, which has seen some car makers announce the closure of UK facilities in order to cut costs, insiders suggest that ministers may be investigating how they could introduce low interest rate loans to the market in order to increase EV uptake.

Reynolds also reiterated his commitment to the manufacturers themselves, stating that “there is no route to net zero without backing British industries and workers”. He also told firms how the £2billion investment from Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves in the autumn Budget will “support the latest research and development into these technologies, accelerating their commercial scale up and unlocking capital investment”.

To keep companies afloat while demand for EVs grows, another insider suggestion is that the government is weighing up whether to reduce fines for manufacturers straying over the mandate’s limit, which is set at 22 per cent of output for 2024. However, Reynolds reminded the public of the government’s commitment to the mandate as a whole, saying how the upcoming consultation “is about how, not if we reach this ambition”.

In the meantime, hundreds of jobs lay in the balance after both Ford and Stellantis (the owner of Vauxhall) decided to streamline UK operations in order to cut costs in light of tepid demand for EVs. Nissan, which has previously called on the government for “urgent action”, has also threatened job cuts if returns for investments are not met.

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