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An upcoming UK government consultation on weakening targets for electric vehicles (EVs) could cost consumers as much as £3bn a year by 2030, according to Carbon Brief analysis.

It could require the UK to import an extra 17m barrels of oil in 2030, raising expected net imports by 8%, as well as adding 2.5% to national emissions that year, the analysis shows.

After years of fierce lobbying by parts of the car industry — and despite the significant savings on offer for EV drivers — media reports suggest that EV targets could be “watered down”.

Under current rules, battery EVs — BEVs, those which run only on electricity — must make up a rising share of new car sales in the UK.