Based on widespread reports across the media, the UK government is expected to bring forward the ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars from 2035 to 2030.
It is anticipated that Prime Minister Boris Johnson will announce the 2030 ban this week, as part of a package of green initiatives.
If true, this will be the second time the ban has come forward. It previously changed from 2040 to 2035 (announced February 2020), and now from 2035 to 2030.
While we need to wait for the official announcement before details can be confirmed, it is expected that new hybrids can remain on sale until 2035. We do not know if this will include all types of hybrid car (mild-hybrids, full hybrids and plug-in hybrids).
The ban does not affect used cars – only new cars. So people will still be able to buy used petrol and diesel cars.
We will update this story as we learn more.
If you want to cut your emissions, why wait for 2030? Our independent lab and road tests reveal the best electric cars for 2020.
Is the UK ready to go electric?
Sales of electric cars has been rising for years, but still only make up a small percentage of all new UK car sales.
The latest figures published by car industry body the Society of Motoring Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that year-to-date sales of electric cars is 5.4%, up from just 1.3% when compared to the same period in 2019.
One common gripe of electric cars is the cost of the car itself. Even with the £3,000 grant that electric cars qualify for, electric cars are still generally pricier than their non-electric counterparts.
Should the UK leave the EU without a trade deal, a number of popular car manufacturers have told Which? that car prices could rise as a result of a no-deal Brexit.
Adding to price woes, the SMMT has also warned that no-deal price rises may affect electric cars more than non-electric. It predicts prices for electric cars could rise by around £2,800, effectively cancelling out the UK’s government grant for electric cars.
Most electric car charging happens at home
The latest Which? car survey reveals that 78% of electric car charging happens at home*, suggesting that the majority of electric car owners are those with a driveway.
The same survey revealed that the UK public charging network accounts for just 16% of electric car charging.
Where electric car charging happens in the UK
The public charging network in the UK is a mixture of national and local networks, plug types and different power levels.
But thanks to the large number of different networks of chargers, most of which require you to register with the service prior to charging your car via an app or a website, it can be more confusing than filling your car with petrol or diesel.
Which? cars editor Lisa Barber said ‘While the official announcement is forthcoming, if true, it raises the question as to whether the public electric car charging infrastructure is going to be fit for purpose in less than ten years’ time.
‘Our survey shows that the vast majority of electric car charging happens at people’s homes, suggesting electric cars are currently bought by people who have off-road parking, potentially where a domestic wall-charger can be installed.
‘But not everyone has a driveway. So to help make electric cars a viable option for more UK consumers, the public charging network needs to become larger, simpler and much more accessible than it is today.’
Responding to the announcement, RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes said:
‘The car industry clearly now faces a monumental challenge to change its production lines, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure will need to be expanded at an incredible pace to cope with the surge in electric vehicles (‘EVs’) coming on to our roads.
‘While many people, especially those with off-street parking, will charge their vehicles overnight at home, this won’t be possible for everyone so access to a reliable national charging network is vital to make the process of recharging simple and convenient.’
You can find out more about the public charging network, home charging and how much it costs to charge an electric car by going to our electric car charging guide.
*(Data from the 2020 Which? Car survey, in field from December 2019 to February 2020. 47,013 UK car owners told us about 55,833 cars, including 1,016 electric cars.)
source https://www.which.co.uk/news/2020/11/2030-ban-of-new-petrol-and-diesel-cars-what-will-it-mean-for-you/