With all of the talk about car manufacturers focusing on the production of electric vehicles only, a lot of people are worried about what this will mean in terms of their own vehicle. If you are worried that you are going to need to replace your petrol and diesel car soon, you are not alone. A lot of people are stressed about this, as they fear they will not have the funds available to make the replacement. However, it is important to recognise that just because production is going to stop does not mean you cannot drive your current car. With that being said, below, Round Trip Tyres reveal everything you need to know about when diesel and petrol cars will be banned in the UK.
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What do we know about when petrol and diesel cars are going to be banned?
From 2030, car brands will not be able to sell new conventional diesel and petrol vehicles, including vans and cars. This does not mean that people will be prevented from selling their used vehicles. It simply means that new production models cannot be produced. The aim here is to make auto businesses focus on the production of more eco-friendly models, rather than adding new diesel and petrol models to their range.
What about hybrid vehicles? Will they be in production still?
As you may already be aware, hybrid vehicles are part electric and part fuel. Therefore, they still contribute to environmental pollution. There are different rules when it comes to this. Car manufacturers have been permitted a further five years. This means that new hybrid models can be sold until 2035. After which, they will no longer be permitted. However, it is worth noting that they can only be sold during this five-year period on one condition. This condition is that they are able to cover a significant distance in the zero-emission mode. The Government has not defined what the word “significant’ refers to. Therefore, as of yet, we do not know how much distance hybrid vehicles will need to cover in the zero-emission mode in order to be sold.
What will the car market industry look like after 2035?
Once 2035 has passed, the only new vans and vehicles that will be on the market are those that are purely electric or powered by hydrogen. Examples of hydrogen-powered vehicles include the likes of the Toyota Mirai and the Hyundai Nexo. In terms of pure electric vehicles, we have the likes of the Nissan Leaf and the Tesla Model 3. This can give you some indication of the sort of vehicles that will be available in the new car market as of 2035.
Does this new ban on petrol and diesel cars impact the used car market?
A lot of people are worried that they will have to switch to a new electric car in 2030 or 2035. This is not the case. Second Hand vehicles are not impacted by the ban. This means that companies and individuals can continue to sell used diesel and petrol vehicles. Moreover, conventional hybrids, irrespective of the distance they can travel with zero emissions can be sold on the used market. Needless to say, though, by banning the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles, the aim is that, eventually, the secondhand market will be dominated by electric and eco-friendly vehicles as well. However, we are many years from this actually being the case!
The government’s commitment to lowering fuel emissions
The government has shown their stance on this by contributing grants, loans, and heaps of investment into eco-friendly vehicles. For example, the government has earmarked £525 million for nuclear power plants, which should assist with the electricity that the increasing number of EVs will bring. They are also investing £500 million in battery development, £582 in grants, and £1.3 billion in EV charge points for motorways, streets, and properties.
So there you have it: everything you need to know about when petrol and diesel cars will be banned in the United Kingdom. There is no denying that the switch to electric vehicles is a positive one and something that we need to do to protect our wonderful planet. At the same time, the move is something that needs to be viable for everyone. We cannot expect everyone to have the money available to simply purchase a new car. Therefore, the transition period is going to be a long one and it is going to take time for everyone to be driving around in an electric vehicle.
