Officials have been told to not have sensitive conversations in some electric vehicles (Image: Getty)
Ministry of Defence chiefs may be banned from talking in over national security concerns, according to new sources.
Sources have claimed that defence experts have been told to dodge sensitive conversations while inside certain vehicles over concerns
, a security notice was issued across the department with hundreds of vehicles potentially at risk.
Latest figures reveal the MoD has 745 electric vehicles on its order books as well as a further 1,414 hybrid models.
Hundreds of Chinese electric vehicles have been leased by defence officials with more on order in a bid to meet the Government’s Net Zero targets.
:
There are concerns some Chinese EVs could be security risks (Image: Getty)
However, the move appears to have backfired with sources admitting chiefs have been silenced while travelling.
An individual : “It’s crazy. A lot of these electric cars are used by senior officers, who know a lot of secrets. They work on sensitive missions.
“It’s normal to discuss work when they’re driving, especially if everyone in the car is cleared to the same level or working on the same project.
“They aren’t used to thinking the car might be listening — especially if the car has been issued by the UK MoD.”
DON’T MISS… [COMMENT]
A second source claimed there were also concerns the vehicles could track locations with cameras fitted inside most modern vehicles.
The UK than other nations with Europe and the United States all introducing restrictions.
The UK on Chinese electric cars under its freedoms.
However former US President introduced a ban on Chinese hardware and software in connected vehicles last September.
The new rules were introduced as a result of national security concerns after fears data could be collected and used for foreign manipulation.
The US has also imposed a whopping 100% tariffs on Chinese EVs to protect US firms from being undercut by cheap vehicles.
Meanwhile, the l from October 2024 after claiming the Chinese government had provided unfair state subsidies to manufacturers.
An MoD spokesperson said: “Protecting national security is the foundation of everything we do. We have strict security procedures in place to ensure sensitive information is protected.”
Express.co.uk has contacted the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for comment.