Government pressured to delay petrol and diesel ban as EU scraps 2035 target

The UK Government has been urged to delay its ban on pure petrol and diesel cars after the EU confirmed on Tuesday it will scrap its own deadline in favour of more lenient regulations.

Senior automotive industry figures have said that the UK ban due to come into place in 2030 may need to be pushed back as a result of the EU’s actions, which were formally announced by the European commission after being confirmed by a senior lawmaker last week.

Manfred Weber, the president of the European People’s Party (the largest party in the European Parliament) told German newspaper Bild that the ban was “off the table”. Instead, it will be replaced by flexible emission reduction rules. Under the current legislation, manufacturers had to ensure that zero-emission vehicles accounted for 100% of production by 2035 – but this will now be reduced to 90%.

Wopke Hoekstra, European Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth, said: "We want our industries to be the leaders of the transition to a low-carbon economy because that is what is best for our climate, competitiveness and independence.

"Today, we are stepping in to ensure a successful clean future for the automotive sector. We are introducing flexibilities for manufacturers, and in turn this will have to be compensated with low-carbon steel and the use of sustainable fuels to drive down emissions. We maintain investment predictability in the electric sector, drive down emissions and stay on track for climate neutrality by 2050."

Speaking to The Times, Dr Andy Palmer, former Aston Martin CEO and Nissan COO – who played a key role in the launch of the original Nissan Leaf electric car – said the UK would have to follow in the EU’s footsteps due to the number of cars that are traded between the two areas.

“It becomes very difficult because if the EU drops their ban the factories there won’t ramp up their EV production in the way forecast,” he said. “There wouldn’t be enough EVs to meet the demand required in the UK.”

Despite the EU’s radical shift in position, the UK Government told us that it has no plans to change its approach to sales of non-zero emission cars and vans. A government spokesperson said: “We remain committed to phasing out all new non-zero emission car and van sales by 2035. More drivers than ever are choosing electric, and November saw another month of increased sales with EV’s accounting for one in four cars sold.”

Under the Government’s ZEV Mandate, 80% of new car sales must be fully electric by 2030, with hybrid cars allowed to remain on sale until 2035. A review of these measures was due in 2027 – however, according to reports, industry leaders have said this will need to be brought forward as a result of the EU’s decision.

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch wrote in the Sunday Telegraph last weekend that her party would scrap the UK's 2030 ban on petrol and diesel cars should it win the next election. In her article, she described the ZEV Mandate as a "well-meaning but ultimately destructive piece of legislation".

Allowing petrol and diesel cars to be sold in Europe for longer than in the UK will undoubtedly create a number of issues for manufacturers. Around three quarters of cars manufactured in the UK are exported, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), with the largest market being Europe – however, these manufacturers will still be subject to the UK’s strict zero-emissions targets, which means they may have to separate manufacturing lines for domestic and international demand.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Brian Gregory, policy director at the Alliance of British Drivers, said the EU’s decision could have drastic effects on UK production should the 2030 ban remain in place.

He said: “This makes the Government’s stance untenable. We would be destroying our automotive industry and the whole supply chain to no good purpose.

“The UK should step back from the abyss and continue supporting its manufacturers, because if we don’t, we’ll have no car industry left.”

However, some industry experts argue that reversing the petrol and diesel ban would waste the huge investments made by the Government into electric cars, including the millions spent on expanding the country's EV charging network.

Vicky Read, chief executive of ChargeUK, said: "This adjustment does not change the fact that the transition to EVs is happening. The sale of almost all petrol and diesel cars will cease across the EU by 2035 if not before. Any thought of reopening discussion about the UK's own ZEV mandate, which already contains flexibilities to support car manufacturers, would be a major over reaction putting billions of investment in charging at risk and undermining driver confidence.
 
"EV sales have been consistently strong in the UK, supported by the mandate and an EV charging industry that is investing billions of pounds in private capital to roll out critical infrastructure ahead of forecasted demand. The UK's focus should now be on building on this progress and supporting even more drivers to switch. We should not be looking over our shoulder at the rest of Europe but ahead, towards a future where the UK is a clean transport leader."

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