When will new petrol and diesel cars be banned? Labour’s electric vehicle plans explained
A Labour consultation promises to provide more clarity to the car industry over the transition to zero-emission vehicles.
The government has launched a consultation on the phasing out of the sale of all new petrol and diesel cars from 2030.
In a written statement to Parliament, published today, the transport secretary Heidi Alexander promised greater clarity for manufacturers and more confidence to drivers thinking of making the switch to electric cars.
Setting out the government's current target, she said: "No new petrol or diesel cars will be sold after 2030. All new cars and vans will need to be 100% zero emission by 2035."
Alexander said transitioning to zero emission vehicles is not only an "environmental necessity" but an "opportunity for the UK to lead in cutting edge technologies".
The transition may not be as smooth sailing as hoped, however, with ministers admitting late last year that they were "profoundly concerned" about the policy's impact on the industry, promising a review - with a possible view to easing the policy.
The previous Conservative government had initially set a target of 2030, before later pushing it back to 2035. The current Labour government hopes restoring the original target will bring more clarity and confidence to the industry.
Here, Yahoo News explains what you need to know about the consultation and the government's plans.
What has been announced?
The Department for Transport (DfT) has begun an open consultation into the phasing out of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030.
It says the government has been collaborating with the automotive industry and those invested in electric car charging infrastructure in an attempt to make the most of this transition, but ordinary members of the public are also free to share their views.
Participants are being asked their preference on technology choices and types of vehicles that will be permitted between 2030 and 2035 alongside zero-emission vehicles, for example, whether the sale of certain types of hybrid vehicles should continue up to 2035.
The consultation also asks for people's views on potential requirements for new non-zero emission vans to be sold from 2030 to 2035, and whether vans should have any CO₂ limits.
Electric vans accounted for just 5.8% of the market share in 2024, according to Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders figures, which is well below the government's zero-emission vehicle mandate target of 10%, with many businesses still preferring diesel vehicles due to their price and carrying capacity.
Other questions on the consultation include what impact the electric vehicle transition could have on the economy, and whether smaller-scale manufacturers should be included in the 2030 ban.
How can you have your say?
All you need to do is visit this page of the government's website, download a response form and send it back to the email address provided.
Alternatively, you can write to the following address: ZEV regulations team, Department for Transport, 3rd Floor Great Minster Housel 33 Horseferry Road, London, SW1P 4DR.
The consultation closes at 11.59pm on 18 February.
Why is the government banning petrol and diesel?
Perhaps the most obvious reason behind this ban is to reduce carbon emissions and help combat climate change.
Speaking at the Cenex Expo for low carbon vehicles in September, Future Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood said this would be an opportunity to "make good on our climate change obligations and improve the quality of something so essential as the air we breathe", Transport and Energy reported.
She said phasing out of new cars that rely on internal combustion engines, combined with efforts to install more electric charging points, will "mean less carbon and more clean energy; fewer polluting cars and more electric vehicles – reducing the burden on our planet and increasing the opportunities for everyone to join in the electric vehicle revolution".
However, there's also an economic element to the ban, with the government hoping it will provide an impetus for UK businesses to capitalise on an ever-growing green industry.
"It is not just an environmental necessity but an opportunity for the UK to lead in cutting edge technologies, representing a significant industrial opportunity for the UK," said Alexander.
She said the consultation will consider what steps can be taken to support domestic manufacturers and "cement the UK’s position as one of the major European markets for ZEVs (zero-emission vehicles)".
The transport secretary also announced £6 billion of private investment out to 2030 to make charging infrastructure quicker and easier to install, adding to over £2.3 billion of support to UK manufacturers to help with the zero-emission transition.
So, can I drive my petrol and diesel car after 2030?
Yes, if you have a petrol and diesel car, you will still be able to drive it after 2030.
This is because the ban only applies to the sale of any new cars with internal combustion engines – not the usage of them.
You will still be able to buy second-hand petrol or diesel cars after the ban comes into place.
What does the car industry say?
One major concern expressed by the industry is how to incentivise more people to buy electric cars
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme last year, Ford's UK chair and managing director Lisa Brankin said: "The one thing that we really need is government-backed incentives to urgently boost the uptake of electric vehicles."
Edmund King, president of the AA, said drivers have been "hesitant about the transition but not hostile" but hoped the consultation would lead to greater clarity.
Speaking at a conference in June, Maria Grazia Davino, managing director of automotive manufacturer Stellantis, criticised the zero emission vehicle mandate for forcing companies to sell a greater share of electric vehicles each year in the run up to 2030, the Telegraph reported.
“The fact is that the demand is not there, following the glide path designed by the government,” she said, adding that being forced to discount so heavily to reach these targets, even if it means making a loss, could force Stellantis production in the UK could stop."
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