The United Kingdom has announced a change in its policy regarding the ban on the sale of new internal combustion engine-powered cars. Originally planned to come into effect in 2030, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has now confirmed the ICE ban has been deferred until 2035.
Sunak pointed out this decision aligns the UK with other countries such as the European Union and Canada, which have also set a 2035 target for similar bans. Moreover, the ban only applied to new cars, and Sunak clarified that existing petrol- and diesel-engine cars would still be allowed to be sold on the second-hand market after 2035.
In his announcement, Sunak stated that "we're working hard to make the UK a world leader" in electric vehicles, citing that "we've already attracted billions of new investments. I expect by 2030 the vast majority of cars sold will be electric because the costs are reducing, the range is improving, and the charging infrastructure is growing.”
Sunak stressed the importance of allowing more time for the development of improved grid connections and introduced coordinated measures aimed at enhancing the UK's energy distribution capabilities. Additionally, the government's strategy includes incentives for homeowners to improve the energy efficiency of their properties.
He further added, “I also think, at least for now, it should be you who makes that choice, not the government forcing you to do it. Because the upfront cost is high. We have a further to go to get the charging infrastructure in place. So, to give us more time to prepare we are going to ease the transition to electric vehicles. You'll still be able to buy a combustion-engine vehicle until 2035."
