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New dates for the ending of fossil-fuel powered vehicle sales


The UK government’s consultation on removing petrol and diesel vehicles from the roads by 2035 has resulted in a two-step strategy, with the phase- out of these new sales set to start in 2030


In 2019, the UK government committed to the country to meeting net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 in order to ensure the UK meets its contribution to climate change. Already there has been a significant shift in the


way that power is generated, away from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Cars and vans represent 19% of all domestic emissions so the country will only achieve net zero across the whole economy if the transition to zero tailpipe emissions is made for road transport. The long-term ambition is, therefore, for almost every car and van to be zero emission at the tailpipe by 2050.


Public consultation To achieve this, and following a recommendation from government’s independent climate change adviser, the Climate Change Committee (CCC), the Prime Minister announced in February 2020 a public consultation on ending the sale of new petrol, diesel and hybrid cars by 2035 or earlier. By bringing forward the phase-out date from


the previous 2040 target, the government believes that it will enable the UK to reduce carbon emissions faster. It will tackle poor air quality in towns and cities sooner and support economic growth in the UK by bringing skilled jobs and investment in the energy and automotive sectors. A transport decarbonisation plan is being developed to achieve net zero emissions across all modes of transport. This will be interesting because whilst improvements in battery technology make their use in cars and vans more viable, no viable alternative is currently available to replace the internal combustion


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engine in HGVs.


The consultation lasted many months with a wide variety of stakeholders responding. A large number of responses were received from organisations spanning a number of sectors, including motor manufacturers, large fleet operators and garage networks, as well as members of the public . Having reviewed the submissions, the


government has announced a two-phase approach. • Step 1 will see the phase-out date for the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans brought forward to 2030.


• Step 2 will see all new cars and vans be fully zero emission at the tailpipe from 2035.


Between 2030 and 2035, new cars and vans can be sold if they have significant zero emission capability, which would include some plug-in and full hybrids. The definition of significant zero emission capability will be consulted on later this year.


Government has acknowledged that the new


target will be challenging for different sectors of society and trade to achieve. There are issues


around affordability, concerns about the limited range of battery propelled vehicles and the lack of infrastructure. All these issues must be addressed to encourage drivers and businesses to transition to zero emission vehicles (ZEVs).


Neutral approach Government takes a technology-neutral approach on how this transition will be achieved. Whilst it is true that battery electric vehicles (BEVs) dominate the current ZEV market, the report recognises the potential of hydrogen as another solution for zero emission transport, particularly for heavier road vehicles. There is a clear direction of travel regarding


removing greenhouse gas emissions from the environment. However, in many ways Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic have distracted us all from this issue. Government regards Brexit as accomplished,


and the latter-mentioned issue as coming under control. Government is now focusing its attention on economic recovery from the pandemic, for which the shift to and expansion of the green economy is an integral and essential part.


May 2021


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