Manufacturers are stockpiling petrol and hybrid cars despite demand for models in a bid to avoid breaching crucial net zero laws, according to a leading expert.

The new Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV) mandate rules introduced this year mean road users must only sell a certain amount of combustion models every year.

Currently, 22 percent of all models sold must be electric but this total is set to increase slowly year-on-year.

Robert Forrester, chief executive of Vertu Motors, admitted firms are now intentionally delaying the release of models until next year to avoid being caught out and breaching the rules.

In some circumstances, buyers will be forced to wait until February to receive delivery of a new model if purchased today.

On the flip side, electric models that carmakers are being encouraged to produce were “not easily finding homes”.

He said: “In some franchises there’s a restriction on supply of petrol cars and hybrid cars, which is actually where the demand is.

“It’s almost as if we can’t supply the cars that people want, but we’ve got plenty of the cars that maybe they don’t want.

“They [manufacturers] are trying to avoid the fines. So they’re constraining the ability for us to supply petrol cars in order to try and keep to the government targets.”

Companies have to pay a staggering £15,000 fine for every petrol car which exceeds their quota.

Firms can break the rules if they have ‘carbon credits’ to spend or by promising to build fewer petrol and diesel cars in another year.

However, the quota will mean 28 percent of all new cars must be electric by 2025 and 33 percent by 2026.

By 2027 the total will climb to 38 percent, then 52 percent in 2028, 66 percent in 2029 and then 80 percent in 2030.