BMW says EV car demand does not ‘reflect’ key requirements

As reported, senior Oxford councillor Linda Smith will next week urge the council to write to transport secretary Heidi Alexander to come to Cowley and meet factory representatives and the union.

A significant number of agency jobs have been lost at Plant Oxford as it adjusts to the government’s 2030 sales ban on new petrol and diesel cars.

The Mini Plant in Oxford (Image: Ed Nix)

A spokeswoman for the BMW Group, owners of Mini, said: “Plant Oxford is the home of MINI production and an important part of the wider UK automotive sector.

“As we have said previously, BMW Group has strong concerns about the trajectory of the ZEV mandate as future sales requirements do not reflect current levels of customer demand for battery electric vehicles in the UK.

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“We do not believe mandates create markets. The pace of the transition must be shaped by real customer demand, supported by the right market conditions and a competitive policy framework which enables long-term investment, competitiveness and jobs in the UK.”

David Henwood, a former apprentice at the Cowley plant (Image: File)

As of May 2025, the Cowley plant employs more than 3,500 workers, but that same month it was reported 180 temporary staff contracts were to be axed.

This was to align with “current business requirements” of BMW and to manage production fluctuations.

Indeed, Plant Oxford is significant for the local and county-wide economy with it being one of the largest employers in Oxfordshire.

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Former apprentice of Plant Oxford, and current city councillor, David Henwood said: “The Cowley Plant has been part of life in Littlemore for generations.

“So many of us have worked there—or know someone who has. It’s more than just a workplace, it’s part of the community’s identity.

“That’s why the current pressures facing the plant are so concerning. This isn’t just about a factory—it’s about people, livelihoods, and the future of our community.”

Linda Smith (Image: Ed Nix)

Calls have frequently been made by the motor industry to scrap the deadline to ban petrol and diesel cars.

Fossil fuel-powered cars continue to dominate the UK new car market, with EV Infrastructure news reporting battery-powered cars only make up a 23.4 per cent market share.

Trade association the Society of Motor Manufacturer and Traders described the zero-emissions vehicle mandate as a “straitjacket” which is putting “huge pressure on manufacturers”.

City councillor Linda Smith described the automotive sector as being in the midst of a “low-volume crisis” saying it would “not be an exaggeration to say that the Mini Plant Oxford has been, and continues to be, one of the worst hit”.