Ineos boss and Man United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe has begun attempting to convince the Labour Party to back plans for a national hydrogen refuelling system for road vehicles.
Ratcliffe has sparked a friendship with Starmer in recent times and has spoken with the Labour leader about the need to prepare for the growth of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in the 2030s, reports from the Times said.
By 2035, the sale of diesel and petrol vehicles will be banned, leaving experts confident hydrogen fuel cells will become a viable alternative to EVs in certain sectors.
Hydrogen fuel cells are said to be better for longer-distance and heavier vehicles, those which are needed for work specific as emergency service vehicles and off-road transport.
Both BMW and Toyota have shown interest in fuel cell technology for vehicles.
Back in Britain, Ineos is developing a strong stake in the sustainable industry, largely through its Inovyn subsidiary, which works in the production and storage of green hydrogen.
Ratcliffe also has plans to introduce fuel cell alternatives of the Ineos Grenadier, the off-road SUV.
It comes as the UK government receives criticism over the rollout of EV charging systems, with researchers earlier this year having found it was not fit for purpose.
It is believed there is widespread dissatisfaction among EV and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicle owners, with 69% of drivers complaining about the current charging network, a Which? survey showed.
High costs, faulty equipment, confusing payment methods and a lack of pricing transparency were all given as reasons for the dissatisfaction.