The UK Government’s counter-intuitive policy of reducing EV purchase incentives while urging their widespread adoption has car buyers “thinking again”, says Stellantis boss Alison Jones.

Jones, who was appointed Stellantis Country Manager and senior vice-president earlier this month, said that the decision to cut the plug-in car grant (PiCG) by a further £500 and lower its cap to £35,000 added confusion and complicated the message ahead of 2030’s ban on the sale of non-electrified new cars.

Speaking to AM, Jones said: “We know from one year to the next that (policies) change at short notice. What was a surprise about this was taking it in context of the industrial strategy and stopping the sale of ICE new cars from 2030.

“Combining that with this announcement and it was a surprise, and very unwelcome.”

Jones added: “At the moment it looks like the Government is driving the shift to 2030 through CO2 targets alone. It’s more stick than carrot and it’s the customer that has been caught out by the latest change.