Certain combustion vehicles will completely “disappear” from UK roads as a petrol and diesel car ban edges closer. Labour has already confirmed that the vast majority of brand-new petrol and diesel combustion vehicle sales will end by 2030.
The rule means major manufacturers will not be allowed to produce internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and put them onto the market. As older petrol and diesel cars leave the road as they reach the end of their life cycle, models will not be replaced. According to EV experts PodPoint, eventually this will lead to petrol and diesel models “gradually disappearing” off the streets over the next few years.
Experts at PodPoint explained: “It’s expected that ICE cars will gradually disappear off the roads as the ban on their sales comes into effect from 2030, with hybrids following suit after 2035. However, drivers will still be able to buy a used ICE car, making them likely to remain a sight on UK roads for some time.”
The end of the decade does not symbolise the absolute end for petrol and diesel, with some exemptions set to come into effect. After 2030, smaller manufacturers producing less than 1,000 models every year can still produce combustion vehicles.
This will ensure some of Britain's most well-loved marques such as Caterham, Aston Martin, McLaren and Lotus are not affected. Meanwhile, hybrid cars with both a combustion engine and an EV battery can still be sold in the UK until 2035.
PodPoint added: “The ban of new ICE cars will mean that you’ll see fewer of them, as old models come to the end of their lives and are scrapped.
“This means the demand for petrol and diesel will eventually reduce, meaning supply will likely drop, too. But for now, an outright halt to the sale of petrol or diesel doesn’t seem to be in the pipeline.”
Earlier this year, transport minister Heidi Alexander confirmed that no new petrol or diesel cars will be sold after 2030. She explained that there was an urgent need to transition away from a reliance on fossil fuels and called out the Conservatives for delaying the ban until 2035.