The UK government is set to confirm a ban on the sale of new combustion-engine cars from 2040 to 2030 in an effort to speed up widespread electric vehicle (EV) adoption but hybrid cars are set to be allowed until 2035 under the revised proposals. The widely anticipated move will be confirmed next week as part of a wider package of green initiatives announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The announcement has reportedly been delayed several times since this autumn due to the government focus on tackling coronavirus.
A proposal to end sales of petrol and diesel-fuelled cars by 2040 was first announced in 2018 as part of the government’s strategy to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 before transport secretary Grant Shapps said earlier this year that such action could be taken by 2035 or even as early as 2032 if possible. Members of the public were offered the chance to submit their views in an online consultation process that closed at the end of July this year. BWhile the new ban on pure combustion-engined petrol and diesel cars has been brought forward, the news that hybrid cars can be sold until 2035 will be a boost to the industry, given that EVs still account for a relatively small percentage of total orders. It is not yet clear what type of hybrid systems will be allowed during that five-year period.
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