A consultation has begun on the phasing out of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030. The previous Conservative government had extended the ban on UK sales of these vehicles to 2035, but Labour pledged in its election manifesto to revert back to the 2030 deadline.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander is now seeking input from automotive and charging experts to “restore clarity” on how to implement the ban. This consultation comes in the wake of a dispute between the government and the industry over the impending shift to electric vehicles.
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Last month, Ford criticised the UK government’s mandate to manufacture and sell more electric vehicles (EVs), stating it “just doesn’t work” without demand, the BBC reports. Lisa Brankin, Chair and Managing Director of Ford UK, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “The one thing that we really need is government-backed incentives to urgently boost the uptake of electric vehicles.”
The transport secretary acknowledged that the automotive industry had been “stifled by a lack of certainty and direction” over recent years. “This government will change that,” she affirmed. For the latest Welsh news delivered to your inbox sign up to our newsletter
The consultation suggests updates to the Zero Emission Vehicle (Zev) mandate, which outlines the percentage of new zero emission cars and vans that manufacturers will be required to sell each year up to 2030. Over two-thirds of car manufacturers in the UK, including Stellantis, have committed to fully transitioning to electric cars by that year.
However, companies have also announced thousands of job cuts, partly due to electric vehicle (EV) targets. The Department for Transport stated that the consultation would “restore clarity for vehicle manufacturers and the charging industry” so they “have the confidence to invest in the UK in the long term and drive growth in the UK automotive industry”.
The Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit think tank suggested that the UK would meet its targets as the mandate considered credits earned from selling lower-emission hybrid petrol and diesel vehicles, as well as sales of fully electric vehicles. The 22% target set for each manufacturer is expected to be achieved as an industry average, according to the think tank.
Last month, EVs accounted for one in four cars sold in the UK, Ms Alexander noted, with drivers “already embracing EVs faster than ever”. The government also mentioned that the consultation would form part of a “wider push” to make charging electric cars easier and more affordable.