Defence chiefs ordered to stop talking in electric cars over fears Chinese makers are eavesdropping on national secrets
Defence chiefs ordered to stop talking in electric cars over fears Chinese makers are eavesdropping on national secrets
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DEFENCE chiefs have been ordered to stop talking in electric cars over fears their Chinese makers will eavesdrop. It is feared that inbuilt microphones can record and transmit conversations, risking national security. The MoD has leased hundreds of Chinese electric vehicles to try to meet Net Zero targets. And they have ordered thousands more under plans to clean up its fleet of 12,000 civilian vehicles within two years.
![[Yellow BYD Seagull electric car on display.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/byd-seagull-small-electric-car-891207440.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
Many of the cars are MGs from China’s state-owned Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation. The Sun understands a security notice was issued across the department banning sensitive conversations in electric cars. A source said: “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.
![[Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament under a cloudy sky.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/bxnp7m-early-morning-commuters-crossing-801109648.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
“They aren’t used to thinking the car might be listening — especially if the car has been issued by the UK MoD.”. Latest figures show the MoD has 745 electric vehicles and 1,414 hybrid vehicles in its fleet. A second source said: “These cars are everywhere now, from Special Forces headquarters to nuclear submarine bases. “It’s not just conversations they can track. “The cars record where they go. Some have cameras inside and out.
“They build up a pattern of life and identify individuals which can put personnel at risk.”. Last year, the US vowed to ban some Chinese car parts over fears they would be used by snoops. 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.”. MG and Chinese electric car maker BYD were asked to comment.
