Petrol car sales will be phased out in the UK as Government gives update on plan
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Plans to phase out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in the UK by 2030 are moving forward. The Government has launched a consultation on the ban on new cars that run purely on petrol or diesel in a bid to "restore clarity" for manufacturers and the charging industry.
The Tories delayed the 2030 deadline to 2035 last year when Rishi Sunak ditched a string of green policies in an attempt to boost his dire polling ratings. The move was met with dismay by climate scientists and environmental experts, as well as a number of top Tories.
Labour promised to restore the earlier date in its election manifesto, but admitted in September that some hybrid cars could be sold until 2035. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander is seeking views from industry on the plans, which the Department for Transport said the consultation was "focused on how, not if, we reach the 2030 target".
But the probe will give manufacturers the chance to share views on "which hybrid cars can be sold alongside zero-emission models between 2030 and 2035". More than two-thirds of car manufacturers in the UK, including Nissan and Stellantis, have already committed to transitioning fully to electric vehicles (EVs) by 2030. But car industry leaders have warned that drivers are not switching to EVs quickly enough.
Last month, Ford UK urged the Government to introduce incentives to boost demand, saying the order to produce and sell more EVs "just doesn't work" if drivers aren't buying them. Stellantis, the owner of Vauxhall, partly blamed EV sales rules for the decision to close its factory in van-making factory Luton, putting 1,100 jobs at risk.
