The new Labour government has pledged to reverse the previous government’s decision to delay the petrol and diesel car ban from 2030 to 2035. Sir Keir Starmer’s cabinet is yet to make an official announcement on the change in the Commons, although it was one of the party’s key motoring election policies. Plus, the Department for Transport has confirmed the deadline will be reverted.
But the motoring world has changed in the last year since Rishi Sunak delayed the ban. Sales figures show electric car uptake isn’t as strong as expected for 2024, with drivers opting for hybrids and plug-in hybrids instead. Plus, car manufacturers are hedging their bets on electric vehicles, partly due to the ever-shifting nature of the legislation surrounding them and party due to their poor sales.
Labour could also face difficulty in moving the petrol and diesel car ban back to its original 2030 date. It will have less time to meet the deadline, therefore its EV sales targets will have to be much more aggressive. That means it could be forced to provide significant incentives to encourage private buyers to make the switch, at a time when public finances are already stretched very thin.
Scroll down to find out everything about the government’s combustion engine car ban and learn how it will affect you as the next decade approaches.
Why was the combustion car ban moved by the Tories?
When Sunak pushed the ban back in mid-2023, he said: ‘People are already choosing electric vehicles to such an extent that we’re registering a new one every 60 seconds. But I also think that, at least for now, it should be you the consumer that makes that choice, not government forcing you to do it. Because the upfront cost is still high, especially for families struggling with the cost of living.’
Registrations of new electric cars have increased significantly over the last few years, achieving a 20% share of the market in August 2023. However, that growth has been driven almost entirely by fleets and businesses: demand for EVs from private buyers is currently very low. The SMMT reports that private electric car sales fell by 10.8% in the first half of 2024.
Recent polling has suggested the 2030 petrol and diesel ban lacks public support, as well. The AA conducted a survey in June 2023 and found that just 16% of people agreed with the ban. An online poll held by Fleet News immediately after Sunak’s announcement found that 86% of respondents agreed with the delay.
The old 2035 deadline to end petrol and diesel car sales aligned the UK with the European Union, Australia, Canada and several US states. However, unlike those territories, the UK currently does not offer any incentives to private EV buyers. Still, before they were booted out of power, the Tories managed to introduce an ambitious ZEV sales mandate that will require manufacturers to sell a minimum number of electric cars each year to avoid fines. That could force them to drive prices down.
For 2024, manufacturers must ensure that 22% of their overall sales for the calendar year come from electric vehicles. This target was originally intended to increase every year, reaching 80% in 2030 and 100% in 2035. But, now that the petrol and diesel car ban is about to be moved back to 2030, we suspect this timeline will be shortened.
The 2030 date was imposed during the premiership of Boris Johnson without a clear roadmap for how to achieve it. Sunak appeared to fire a shot at his predecessor when he rowed back on the deadline, saying: ‘The decisions that could bring real change, change that could alter the trajectory of our country, can be so lacking in debate and fundamental scrutiny that we’ve stumbled into a consensus about the future of our country that no one seems to be happy with.’
What was the reasoning for pushing it back to 2035?
According to Sunak, the UK was already well on the way to achieving its Net Zero goals. He said: ‘We’ve had the fastest reduction is greenhouse gas emissions in the G7. Down almost 50% since 1990. And when our share of global emissions is less than 1%, how can it be right that British citizens are now being told to sacrifice even more than others? If we continue down this path, we risk losing consent of the British people.’
While Sunak repeatedly asserted that he remained committed to Net Zero, some Westminster watchers suggested that his softening of environmental policies was being driven by back bench MPs who were against it. There was also resistance to Net Zero among Conservative Party members. And now, it seems there’s resistance from the buyers and car makers.
What the automotive industry says
The automotive industry hasn’t yet offered a strong response to Labour’s pledge to move the ban back to the 2030, but it gave a mixed (and rather vocal) reaction to Sunak’s announcement. Ford UK Chair, Lisa Brankin, said: ‘This is the biggest industry transformation in over a century and the UK 2030 target is a vital catalyst to accelerate Ford into a cleaner future. Our business needs three things from the UK government: ambition, commitment and consistency. A relaxation of 2030 would undermine all three.’
Ford committed £40 billion to electrifying its global model range and has plans to launch several new EVs in the UK by 2025. The firm has already kickstarted its EV transformation with the launch of the new Capri SUV.
Other manufacturer’s have criticised the change including BMW, JLR, Kia and Volkswagen. Industry trade body, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) also added its condemnation.
However, Toyota was pleased by the move saying: ‘[the] announcement is welcome as it provides clarity industry has been asking for and recognises that all low emission and affordable technologies can have a role to play in a pragmatic vehicle transition. We believe this can also help relevant parties to adapt including consumers, manufacturers, infrastructure and energy providers.”
Toyota has adopted an open-minded approach to the future of car propulsion, spreading is bets across internal combustion, hybrid, battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell technology.
Will I be able to buy a petrol or diesel car from 2030 to 2035?
In theory, yes. However, Sunak noted: ‘I expect that by 2030, the vast majority of cars sold will be electric. Why? Because the costs are reducing, the range is improving and the charging infrastructure is growing.’
The major car manufacturers had planned to make an all-EV model range available in the UK by 2030, but Sunak’s policy change seems to have triggered a rethink. Audi, for example, has launched a new combustion powered version of the A5 – and the company tells us that the technology underpinning the car could survive beyond the EU’s 2035 deadline if legislation changes.
There is no word yet on how the change will affect hybrid cars, which were going to be available from 2030 to 2035 under the original plans, so long as they had ‘significant zero emissions capability.’
Can I still drive my petrol or diesel car after 2035?
Yes. The ban is on the sale of new vehicles – not the continued use of older ones. This also means that used petrol or diesel cars will still be available. There will not be a requirement for you to scrap or sell your car and move to hybrid or electric cars
Will petrol and diesel cars be worthless in 10 years?
No. While there will be less demand for new ones as 2035 hoves into view, there will still be a very active market for used cars, especially from those people who are unable to run an electric car on financial or lifestyle grounds. And with the average life of a new car standing at 16 years, if you buy one in 2034, you’ll be possibly running it well into the 2050s.
Is it wise to buy a petrol car now?
If you can’t run an electric car, or simply don’t want to, then buying a petrol car right now poses no problems at all. There are a few factors to consider when future-proofing including how much you have to spend, where you live and what charging is in place. A petrol car still also costs less than a diesel, and as discussed above, fuel supplies will need to remain in place for decades to come.
What will happen to classic petrol cars after 2035?
Nothing. They’ll carry on running as they are now. Most classics require E5 fuel to run properly, and supplies of this might tighten in the coming years, but you’ll always be able to buy it, even if the premium rises above where it is now.
Is the UK ready to go electric?
A lot can happen in the next few years, but let’s not underestimate what a challenge this could be. The UK’s charging infrastructure still has lots of hurdles to overcome, even if it has progressed in leaps and bounds. Hopefully, with continued investment from government, car manufacturers and charging providers, it will continue to expand and improve.
For the majority of users, charging at home overnight will remain the best bet. The expansion of a network of rapid chargers, meanwhile, will accommodate those who don’t have somewhere to charge at home, or those undertaking long journeys. We’re cautiously optimistic that this network will be massively improved by the time the ban comes into force. Whether it’s in 2030 or 2035.
What about commercial vehicles?
The government hasn’t yet given us a clear indication on whether the ban will extend to vans and pickup trucks weighing under 3.5 tonnes (3.5t or 3,500kg) as well as passenger cars. If it does, it will be particularly concerning for businesses.
A viable long-distance zero-emission light commercial vehicle (LCV) has not yet hit the market. Most current electric vans are suitable only for short journeys with modest payloads.
The ban is now less than a decade away, so we’ll have to live in hope that van manufacturers can provide a solution to this within the timeframe. But when we spoke to senior management working in this area at Ford vans, they did not seem to think this was very feasible.
Is hydrogen a viable option?
At the moment? Not remotely. There are only a handful of hydrogen filling stations in the UK and the few vehicles that can use them aren’t on full public sale.
However, several manufacturers are investing heavily in hydrogen cars, and the infrastructure is sure to follow. It could well be a true alternative by 2035 – but we’ve been saying this sort of thing about hydrogen for decades.
Infrastructure – the lack of hydrgen fuelling stations, for example – is a severe obstacle here.
Does this mean I shouldn’t buy a hybrid or PHEV?
Not at all. These cars still make a lot of sense for today’s consumers, and there’s nothing to say you can’t still use it after the ban on new sales comes into force at a date yet to be set.
Hybrids and PHEVs in particular do sidestep a lot of current legislation on emissions, and they’re a good alternative to diesels for those wishing to drop their fuel bills.
