Plans have been announced to bring forward the UK’s ban on petrol and diesel cars by five years to 2035.
Should plans go ahead as promised, it will mean that in just 15 years’ time, no new petrol and diesel cars will be able to be sold. Unlike previous announcements, the government has also said the ban would include hybrid and plug-in hybrid models. This would mean all new cars would have to be zero-emission vehicles by 2035.
Boris Johnson has announced the plans ahead of the COP26 climate conference in November, where he will urge other countries to follow suit.
The PM said: “Hosting COP26 is an important opportunity for the UK and nations across the globe to step up in the fight against climate change. As we set out our plans to hit our ambitious 2050 net zero target across this year, so we shall urge others to join us in pledging net zero emissions.
“There can be no greater responsibility than protecting our planet, and no mission that a Global Britain is prouder to serve. 2020 must be the year we turn the tide on global warming – it will be the year when we choose a cleaner, greener future for all.”
While the announcement has been praised by environmental groups, such as Greenpeace, others in the industry have raised concerns about the feasibility of the earlier ban.
Edmund King, president of the AA, said: “We must question whether we will have a sufficient supply of a full cross-section of zero emissions vehicles in less than fifteen years.
“We will also need a package of grants coupled with a comprehensive charging infrastructure at homes and in towns, cities, motorways and rural locations.
“At the very least the Government should take up the AA demand to cut VAT on new EVs to boost sales and make vehicles more affordable to those on lower incomes.”
