Auto Makers Unite to Pressure UK Government to Ease 2035 ICE Ban

BMW, Ford, Nissan, Toyota, and Bosch have jointly written to the UK government urging it to abandon its planned ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars starting in 2035. The letter advocates for an “open technology pathway,” allowing the continued sale of vehicles powered by various fuels—including highly efficient internal combustion engines—and recommends maintaining a range of vehicle options beyond 2035. The contents of the letter were obtained by the newsletter *Fast Charge* through a Freedom of Information request and subsequently reported by *The Guardian*. This marks the first time a document has emerged showing major automakers attempting to overturn a key UK decarbonization policy. Although a government spokesperson reaffirmed that the 2035 ban on new fossil-fuel vehicles is non-negotiable, successive UK governments have softened their stance on electric vehicle (EV) policies in recent years. The Labour Party previously introduced “flexibility” into its pre-2030 EV targets, and the current government is now considering revisions to its Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) regulations—moves widely seen as responses to industry lobbying. The UK’s Climate Change Committee has emphasized that the 2035 ban on conventional internal combustion engine vehicles is central to meeting emissions reduction targets, and that the transition to electric vehicles is critical to cutting carbon pollution over the next decade. In their letter, automakers cited the European Union’s revised policy from last year—which lowered the post-2035 EV sales target from 100% to 90%—as a reference point, though that adjustment drew criticism from numerous climate organizations. Observers warn that reversing the shift toward electrification would represent a historic policy failure and that there is no legitimate justification for continued reliance on petrol and diesel. They caution that if the UK automotive industry fails to transition promptly, it risks falling behind in global competition—particularly as Chinese automakers accelerate their entry into European and UK markets. BMW expressed concerns about the implementation pathway of the ZEV regulations, while Toyota urged the government to “remain open-minded.” The lobbying effort comes amid a backdrop of increasingly frequent extreme weather events across Europe.