Sales of new petrol and diesel cars WILL be banned in 2030 – OFFICIAL

The government has confirmed that the sale of new petrol and diesel cars will be banned from 2030, with a five-year stay for PHEVs.

It was back in 2017 that the UK government announced that the sale of new petrol and diesel cars would be banned in 2040, and earlier this year that ban was brought forward to 2035, and with the sale of hybrids to be banned too.

Now, in a show of ‘We’re working to fix the climate’, the government has had yet another change of heart and decided they will now ban the sale of new ICE cars from 2030, although there will be some leeway until 2035 for PHEVs as long as they offer a significant EV range. But no word on what’s ‘significant’.

To aid the transition, there will be a £1.3 billion investment in charge points for both home and public areas, nearly £600 million on grants for EVs and PHEVs, £500 million for battery development and production and a bit more than that on small nuclear power production.

It’s a major decision to ban ICE car sale in just 10 years time, and one driven as much by a government wanting to look to be addressing climate change, at a big cost to the taxpayer and the individual, as by common sense.

It will also inevitably mean, just as we predicted in 2017, the arrival of road pricing, with all cars fitted with a black box so you can be charged for every mile you drive, based on the vehicle you’re in, the time of day and the road you’re using. Because it’s the only way to replace the lost fuel duty from ICE cars, regressive though it is.

This announcement is going to place huge pressure on already beleaguered car makers who will now have to work out how to deliver the UK market up to two million EVs a year from 2030, and at the same time deliver ICE cars to markets which won’t have a ban. 

It’s going to be a ‘journey’ – for car makers and car buyers.