A leading automotive industry body in the United Kingdom (UK) has called on the next government to work with the industry to fuel a potential 50 billion pounds (63.4 billion U.S. dollars) of green growth over the next decadeç Paralel.Az reports.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said on Tuesday that targeted policies would see the new car market value grow from just over 70 billion pounds a year today to almost 80 billion pounds every year over the next decade.

Smart policies and consumer incentives would help 17 million drivers switch to zero-emission motoring by 2035, halving the number of fossil fuel cars in use. At the same time, more than a million electric vehicles (EVs) could roll off production lines every year, said the SMMT.

"With voters preparing to cast their ballots next week, the next government will have the power to unlock the sector's potential, boosting the economy, creating jobs and cutting carbon," said Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive.

The UK will hold a general election on July 4, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced in late May.

Hawes stressed: "The industry's vision is of green growth and a fair transition for all. Whoever forms the next government, we urge them to create the conditions that will allow us to deliver on our promise."

The SMMT said halving VAT on new retail EV purchases over the next three years could reap an additional 300,000 new zero-emission car registrations on top of the current outlook, which will lead to a total of 2.3 million new zero-emission cars on the road in three years.

The automotive industry directly employs almost 200,000 people in manufacturing and supports over 800,000 jobs in total across the country, according to the SMMT. (1 British pound = 1.27 U.S. dollar)