SMMT Backed Carmaker Warnings, Citing Risk of “De-industrialisation”

The UK’s primary automotive lobby group, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), played a crucial role in the campaign to soften electric car rules, warning that the original policy would lead to “decarbonisation at the cost of de-industrialisation.”
SMMT Chief Executive Mike Hawes articulated the industry’s position, stating that carmakers faced “unprecedented challenges” and that the ZEV mandate’s timeline was unsustainable. This high-level backing lent significant weight to the individual warnings of job losses and investment flight from companies like BMW, JLR, and Toyota.
The group argued that while the industry is committed to electrification, the pace must be manageable to protect the UK’s manufacturing base against “fierce global competition.” They framed the government’s eventual decision to relax the rules as a victory for common sense and industrial preservation.
Climate campaigners, however, view the SMMT’s intervention as a powerful example of an incumbent industry resisting necessary change. They argue that true industrial strategy would involve embracing the transition and investing in the green jobs of the future, rather than lobbying to prolong the life of fossil-fuel technology.