What a Car - UK - (2020-04)

50 April 2020 whatcar.com

ADVICE

WHAT THE

UK’S TOUGH

NEW EMISSIONS

TARGET MEANS

FOR YOU

As the ban on the sale of all new petrol,

diesel and hybrid cars is brought forward

by  ve years, to 2035, we look at how it

will affect you and how you can prepare

BRITISH CAR AND van buyers will be able to

buy only pure electric vehicles (EVs) from

2035, with the sale of new petrol, diesel, hybrid

and plug-in hybrid models being banned.

Last month’s government announcement

brought forward a previously declared date of

2040 for a ban on conventional fossil-fuelled

vehicles. It also altered the earlier intention

to allow new hybrids to continue to be sold.

Under the new plan, hybrids and plug-in

hybrids, which are powered by a combination

of a petrol or diesel engine and an electric

motor and can do shorter trips (of up to about

30 miles, in most cases) on electric power

alone, will also be phased out.

Pulling the date forward fi ve years poses a

challenge for car makers to provide enough

EVs to meet demand, with battery shortages

currently delaying the supply of some models,

such as the Kia e-Niro – a former overall What

Car? Car of the Year. Infrastructure providers

will also be under pressure to deliver enough

charging points when sales ramp up from

today’s 1.6% of all new car sales to 100% in

15 years’ time. The Government has brought

the date forward because it says 2040 will be

too late if the UK wants to achieve its target of

emitting virtually zero carbon by 2050.

In a speech at a UN summit on climate

change, prime minister Boris Johnson said:

“As we set out our plans to hit our ambitious

2050 net zero target, 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.”

The proposed ban can only be approved

following a public consultation, but if it is,

the only new cars and vans you’ll be able to

buy from 2035 will be powered by electricity,

either by charging from a power point or

created from hydrogen.

What has the reaction been?

AA president Edmund King cautioned that a

shortage of batteries could test the industry’s

ability to provide enough cars. “Drivers

support measures to clean up air quality and

reduce CO 2 emissions, but these stretched

targets are incredibly challenging,” he said.

The RAC’s head of policy, Nicholas Lyes, said:

“We aren’t surprised by the Government’s

plans to bring forward the date to ban the

sale of petrol and diesel vehicles to 2035,

because there is an indisputable need to

tackle climate change.

“A more ambitious target should be

the catalyst for faster change, but there are

clearly many hurdles to cross. Manufacturers

face a great challenge in switching their

production from conventional engines to

cleaner electric technology.

“More EVs will also require a great deal

of investment in charging infrastructure –

particularly for those who rely on on-street

parking outside their homes.”

Friends of the Earth’s Mike Childs said:

“A new 2035 target will still leave the UK in

the slow lane of the electric car revolution

and in the meantime allow more greenhouse

gases to spew into the atmosphere.”

Meanwhile, the Society of Motor

Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) called

the move “extremely concerning”. The

trade body said: “Manufacturers are fully