The UK moves ICE car sales ban forward to 2035 from 2040

British prime minister Boris Johnson announced that a ban in the UK on selling diesel and petrol cars would be brought forward from 2040 to 2035 at a launch event for the November UN climate summit (COP26) in Glasgow. The new ban now includes hybrid and plug-in vehicles.

The British government’s decision was in response to experts who said 2040 is too late for the ban if the UK wants to achieve its target of becoming net zero by 2050. Consumers will only be able to buy electric or hydrogen cars and vans. About one-third of UK emissions are created by transport.

The BBC reports:

The Committee on Climate Change, which advises government, said if other countries followed the UK, there was a 50-50 chance of staying below the recommended temperature rise of 1.5C by 2100. This is considered the threshold for dangerous climate change.

However, banning new petrol, diesel, and hybrid cars won’t be enough on its own.

The government will also need to tackle the emissions coming from energy generation. These are almost as high as from transport and come from things such as industry and people’s homes.

The UK currently has 11,000 EV charging stations and is rapidly working to install more, as we reported earlier today about Northern Powergrid’s new incentive to install EV charging point locations.

However — and this is a big however — the BBC reports:

You will still be able to buy a second-hand petrol or diesel car in 2035 and drive one you currently own.

There could even be a boom in petrol or diesel sales in 2034, as motorists prepare to buy combustion engines for the final time.

Electric vehicles

Source: Electrek