Britain needs to press ahead with a ban on the sale of new hybrid cars with no plug from 2030 or risk taking “a catastrophic misstep” on the road to net zero, ministers have been warned.

Cars such as the Toyota Prius, which charge a battery from an internal combustion engine, need to be excluded from the list of vehicles sold in the UK from 2030 or there will be a “profound” fall in confidence in the government’s commitment to electric motoring, according to the representative body Electric Vehicles UK (EVUK).

The Department for Transport (DfT) will ban the sale of new cars powered solely by internal combustion engines from 1 January 2030.

It is consulting on what other types of new cars – such as full hybrids – can be sold between that date and the end of 2034, after which all non-zero-emission new cars will be prohibited.

Ministers have come under huge pressure to delay the date when a full ban on non-electric cars takes place.

Full hybrids, including the Toyota Prius, have a petrol or diesel engine as well as an electric motor powered by a battery.

The battery is recharged by the engine rather than an external plug, and they can usually only be driven on electricity alone for a few miles and at low speeds.

The chief executive of EVUK, Dan Caesar, said he was not opposed to new plug-in hybrids – some of which are capable of zero-emission driving over more than 50 miles – being sold between 2030 and 2035, but called for those without a plug to be banned.

“The inclusion of full hybrid technology would be a catastrophic misstep and make a laughingstock of the UK government’s world-leading zero-emission vehicle policy,” he told the PA news agency.

“If lobbyists do persuade government to include full hybrids it would be a big backward move.

“The ramifications for the nascent EV industry and for fragile consumer confidence could be profound.

“Holding the line and creating certainty around EVs has the potential to be a key measure towards revitalising a sluggish economy.”

Dr Andy Palmer, a former chief executive of Aston Martin and ex-operating chief of Nissan, described full hybrids as “a better solution” than mild hybrids – which cannot be driven on electricity alone – but said they used “a technology that belongs to the late 1990s”.

Under the zero-emission vehicles (Zev) mandate introduced at the start of 2024, manufacturers must sell a minimum percentage of pure electric cars each year. The threshold will rise from 22% in 2024 to 28% in 2025, and is set to reach 80% in 2030.

The government’s consultation, which runs until 18 February, will consider more flexible deadlines after some parts of the automotive industry claimed the mandate was putting jobs on the line.

In November, Vauxhall owner Stellantis announced the closure of its van-making factory in Luton, putting 1,100 jobs at risk, and said the decision was made within the context of the “stringent” Zev mandate.

A DfT spokesperson said: “We are consulting with industry on which cars, including which types of hybrid cars, can be sold alongside fully zero-emission vehicles from 2030.

“Drivers are already embracing electric vehicles faster than ever, and 2024 was a record year for the UK new car market, with the strongest overall growth of any major European market.

“Industry will help us shape the transition to zero-emissions vehicles in a way that works for businesses, drivers, and the environment.

“Together we can capitalise on the clean energy transition to support thousands of jobs, make the UK a clean energy superpower, and rebuild Britain.”