Relaxed EV rules could supercharge Chinese PHEV growth in UK

UK fleet and industry sources say relaxed rules for zero-emission vehicles could accelerate growth of Chinese plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) even as concerns focus on Chinese EVs. One senior fleet source described new entrants’ EV push as a “Trojan Horse,” arguing that several Chinese brands have quickly moved from selling mostly EVs to offering PHEVs at scale. It points to UK registrations for seven Chinese brands from 2024 to 2026: 199,700 petrol cars (32.1%), 194,000 EVs (31.2%), 144,300 PHEVs (23.2%), and 83,700 self-charging hybrids (13.5%). Cox Automotive’s Philip Nothard said any softening of the ZEV Mandate could extend hybrid growth, since these brands can react faster than established automakers.