Staff working at Britain's premier intelligence hub have been told to park their EVs at least two miles away over fears their cars could be spying on them
The Ministry of Defence has banned electric vehicles (EVs) with Chinese components from sensitive sites and military training bases.
Staff working at the secretive military site at RAF Wyton in Cambridgeshire have been told they must park EVs made using Chinese technology at least two miles away from key buildings, sources have told The i Paper.
It is understood that senior officials recently became alarmed when they realised EVs driven by personnel might be being tracked, and sensors in the cars could be used to collect intelligence and send it back to Beijing.
The disclosure of security worries among defence staff could also raise concern among some EV buyers, who are increasingly turning to Chinese brands like BYD because of their affordability and longer range.
RAF Wyton is particularly important to national security as it is home to the UK’s premier military intelligence hub, hosting officials from all members of Five Eyes – the critical intelligence-sharing alliance formed by the UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
The site, which has been the centre of media attention, is home to the Pathfinder Building, one of the world’s largest spy facilities, where thousands of analysts and officials monitor intelligence around the clock.
The MoD parking directive is not thought to have been imposed across the entire UK military estate, and only applies to selected sites.
Another base where it is understood certain EVs have been prohibited is the Salisbury Plain military training area. This is the largest UK defence training site and has been used by Ukrainian soldiers as well as British Armed Forces.
Nearly all major EV car makers, such as Volvo, Jaguar Land Rover, BMW and VW, have Chinese components, with some brands like MG and BYD being entirely manufactured in China.
Asked in Parliament whether there were any restrictions on Chinese-manufactured EVs at military facilities, Defence minister Lord Coaker said there was no “centrally mandated policy” but admitted certain sites have stricter rules.
He added: “We are aware that individual defence organisations may have stricter requirements relating to electric vehicles on some sites, but we do not provide specific details for security reasons.”
Military bosses ordered to stop talking in electric cars
The role of Chinese companies and equipment in critical infrastructure was brought sharply into focus this week after the government took control of British Steel from its Chinese owner, Jingye Group, to prevent it from closing blast furnaces at the country’s last virgin steelmaking site.
There is also increasing concern over Beijing’s ability to conduct espionage and sabotage operations on UK soil.
Last month, military chiefs were ordered to stop having conversations in electric cars over fears their words can be recorded and transmitted by inbuilt microphones and accessed by Chinese manufacturers.
The shadow Security Secretary, Alicia Kearns, said the UK “cannot sacrifice” national security in pursuit of environmentally friendly technology and urged the Government to make a “full pivot” away from electric vehicles across military and Parliament.
She added: “The military and government know the risks of Chinese espionage, but we cannot maintain our security with half-hearted measures. We need to see a full pivot away from Chinese produced EVs in the British military and government fleets.
“We know the risks, now we need to act fast to protect ourselves from them.”
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The latest EVs are equipped with cameras, sensors, radar and internet connectivity. which could be used for remote surveillance by Chinese companies working in co-operation with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), experts warn.
James Bore, a cyber security expert, said EVs are constantly reporting data back to manufacturers and service providers, increasing the potential for “misuse” by adversaries.
He added: “By their nature, electric vehicles tend to be more modern, they have more technology and intelligence in them, and almost all of them will report back to the company that runs them and give efficiency statistics so they can better calculate battery usage.
“You can’t update a combustion engine midway through driving but you can update the algorithms that govern, charge and discharge a military personnel’s EV battery on the fly.
“It does mean that you are being reported on. For most people that is not going to be important, but if you’re looking at sensitive sites that is data that’s could be useful and it could be misused.”
A UK intelligence source said EVs could also be used to record audio and video both inside and outside the car.
“Most cars now are connected via the mobile network,” they said. “It used to be just high-end stuff, but all EVs seem to have it.”
Electric cars are a ‘big collection of sensors’
A former senior civil servant who worked on ensuring Government facilities were secure said modern EVs are “basically a big collection of sensors on wheels”, capable of sending information to outside operators.
“All those cameras, LIDARs [sensing technology], WiFi access points have got a legitimate purpose for driver assist or entertainment features,” they said. “But I can see the worry that there isn’t an easy way to either check they aren’t serving another purpose or see what data is being sent back.”
While Chinese EV part manufacturers are private companies, they work under the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) National Intelligence Laws which require organisations and individuals to “support, assist, and cooperate with state intelligence work.” This means that data collected by Chinese firms can, in theory, be obtained by the CCP.
In 2023 The i Paper revealed that a Chinese tracking device was found in a UK Government car. At least one SIM card capable of transmitting location data was discovered in a sweep of Government and diplomatic vehicles.
The geolocating device had been placed into a vehicle inside a sealed part imported from a supplier in China and installed by the vehicle manufacturer.
A MoD spokesperson said: “Protecting national security is the foundation of everything we do. We have strict security procedures in place to ensure all sensitive information is protected.”
It is understood that military personnel have guidance on behaviour in vehicles to minimise any security risks, which applies to all cars, regardless of type or origin.
Volvo and VW refused to comment. BMW, BYD, MG, and Jaguar Land Rover were approached for comment, as was the trade body, The Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
The Chinese Embassy was also approached for a comment.
