The government is to ease regulations on car manufacturers going all-electric in a bid to "protect and create jobs".
A ban on producing new petrol and diesel cars will come into effect in 2030, but transport secretary Heidi Alexander has now promised to relax regulations which dictate how firms make the switch, the BBC reports,
However, the move has been criticised by opposition parties as not going far enough to help the sector, which will also be impacted by Donald Trump's 25% tariff on imported cars.
The government has said it is working with UK manufacturers to simultaneously "strengthen its commitment to the phase out" while introducing "practical reforms to support industry meet this ambition".
Under the current electric vehicle rules, manufacturers are at risk of fines of £15,000 per car sold that does not meet the latest emissions standards.
At present, 28% of new cars sold in the UK this year must be electric, a target that will rise each year until 2030.