A tale of two countries

Of course, this guy won’t be driving anything at all

Trump vows to kill electric car mandate “on day one”

Donald Trump has vowed to unwind government support for electric cars from “day one” if he regains control of the White House. 

Ahead of November’s presidential election, the Republican nominee said he would scrap rules that will gradually outlaw petrol, diesel and hybrid vehicles, while also describing electric car subsidies as an “incredible waste”. 

Mr Trump has previously threatened to gut President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which provides subsidies of $7,500 per electric car, and has been a vocal critic of emission rules designed to phase out combustion engines over the next decade or so.

Speaking at his party’s national convention, he told supporters: “I will end the electric vehicle mandate on day one, thereby saving the US auto industry from complete obliteration which is happening right now and saving US customers thousands and thousands of dollars per car.”

He added: “By the way, I’m all for electric, they have their application, but if someone wants to buy a gasoline-powered car or a hybrid they’re going to be able to do it.

“And we’re going to make that change on day one.”

That’s enough to vote for him right there. Meanwhile, in Britain …

Sir Keir Starmer, whose Labour Party won a huge majority in this month’s general election, pledged to bring the UK ban forward by five years to 2030 after it was previously delayed by Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives.