- The consultation aims to restore clarity to manufacturers and consumers around petrol and diesel cars and EVs
- It will consider stakeholders’ preferences in the automotive and charging sectors on technology choices
- There are 73,699 EV charging points across the UK
The UK government has launched a consultation on phasing out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030, in a bid to support the delivery of its clean energy strategy.
The consultation aims to restore clarity to manufacturers, providing “renewed confidence to consumers” considering switching to electric vehicles (EV).
As a result, no new petrol or diesel vehicles will be sold after 2030 and all new cars and vans will need to be 100% zero emission by 2035.
The Department of Transport said transitioning to net-zero emissions will “play a critical role in quickly reducing carbon emissions and improving energy security.”
“It is not just an environmental necessity, but an opportunity for the UK to lead in cutting edge technologies,” the Department said, before explaining that the move promises “cleaner air” and “quieter streets”.
The consultation will consider stakeholders’ preferences in the automotive and charging sectors on technology choices and the types of vehicles permitted between 2030 and 2035 alongside zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs).
It will commit to maintaining the trajectories in the ZEV mandate, while considering how the current arrangements and flexibilities are working, as well as what steps to take.
Heidi Alexander MP and the Department of Transport claimed the previous government caused “significant harm to the industry by moving goalposts on phase out dates”, which created doubt with investors and boardrooms.
“In order to support the transition, we need to continue to accelerate the rollout of charging infrastructure right across the country, building on significant deployment to date,” Alexander said.
“I have, therefore, announced a broad package of measures that will make charging infrastructure quick and easier to install, supporting £6bn of private investment out to 2030.
“This includes simplifying planning rules, publishing our review to speed up grid connections and continuing to provide resource funding for local councils up and down the country.”
These new policies build on more than £2.3bn of government support to UK manufacturers and consumers to transition to zero emission vehicles.
According to the latest data from Zap Map, at the end of December 2024, there were 73,699 EV charging points across the UK, across 37,011 charging locations and 108,410 connectors.
Data from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) also found that the UK met its sales target in the first year of the ZEV mandate, and sales of EVs took the industry to 19.6%.
The UK has since overtaken Germany to become Europe’s top EV market, after registrations of new fully electric cars in Germany fell by more than a quarter to 380,609 last year. In the UK, 381,970 EVs sold in the UK and EV registrations surged by 21%.
EVs gained share in the UK as manufactures tried to hit the country’s EV sales mandate.
