A consultation has been launched on the phasing-out of recent petrol and diesel cars by 2030.

The government says this will “restore clarity” for vehicle manufacturers and the charging industry.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander wants industry views from automotive and charging experts on how to deliver Labour’s manifesto commitment to restore the 2030 deadline.

It had been extended to 2035 under the previous Conservative government.

The assess comes amid a row between the government and the industry over the phasing out of the sale of recent petrol and diesel cars.

Last month, Ford said the UK government’s mandate to produce and sell more electric vehicles (EVs) “just doesn’t work” without demand.

Lisa Brankin, Ford UK’s chair and managing director, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on that occasion: “The one thing that we really require is government-backed incentives to urgently boost the uptake of electric vehicles.”

The transport secretary said the automotive industry had been “stifled by a lack of certainty and path” over the last few years.

“This government will transformation that,” she added.

The consultation proposes updates to the Zero Emission Vehicle (Zev) mandate, which sets out the percentage of recent zero emission cars and vans that manufacturers will be required to sell each year up to 2030.

More than two-thirds of car manufacturers in the UK, including Stellantis, have committed to transitioning fully to electric cars by that year.

However, firms have also announced thousands of job cuts, partly because of EV targets.

The Department for Transport said the consultation would “restore clarity for vehicle manufacturers and the charging industry” so they “have the confidence to invest in the UK in the long term and drive growth in the UK automotive industry”.

The vigor and Climate Intelligence Unit ponder tank said the UK would meet its targets because the mandate took into account credits earned from selling lower-emission hybrid petrol and diesel vehicles, as well as sales of vehicles that were fully electric.

The 22% required to be achieved by each manufacturer is due to be reached as an average across the industry, according to the ponder tank.

Last month, EVs made up one in four cars sold in the UK, Ms Alexander said, with drivers “already embracing EVs faster than ever”.

“Today’s measures will assist us capitalise on the tidy vigor shift to back thousands of jobs, make the UK a tidy vigor superpower, and rebuild Britain,” she added.

The government said the consultation would also be part of a “wider push” to make it easier and cheaper to expense electric cars.

There are now more than 72,000 community charging points in the UK, with another 100,000 planned by local authorities across England.

Mike Hawes, chief executive of automotive industry body the population of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said the automotive industry welcomed the government’s “review of both the complete of sale date for cars powered solely by petrol or diesel, and feasible changes to the flexibilities around the Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate”.

“These are both critical issues for an industry that is facing significant challenges globally as it tries to decarbonise ahead of natural trade demand,” he added.

“With the 2025 trade looking under even greater pressure, it is imperative we get an urgent resolution, with a obvious intent to adjust the regulation to back delivery, backed by bold incentives to stimulate demand,” Mr Hawes said.