Elon Musk's Tesla lobbied UK to charge petrol drivers more

Published On Dec 11, 2024, 11:22 AM

Tesla's CEO Elon Musk has been actively engaging in UK politics, urging the government to implement higher costs for petrol car purchases to help finance electric vehicle subsidies. In a letter to roads minister Lilian Greenwood, Tesla's European head emphasized the importance of maintaining and strengthening the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which requires automakers to sell a certain number of electric vehicles (EVs) annually. This position is contrary to the push from UK carmakers who want the mandate relaxed. Tesla aims to benefit from increased electric vehicle sales in the UK and could profit from selling surplus regulatory credits. In addition, Musk has advocated for the UK to take a leadership role in the development of autonomous vehicles.