Official: Government to ban new petrol and diesel car sales in 2030

Proposed date to end pure combustion engined car sales on brought forward from 2040 – but some hybrids will be allowed until 2035

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed that it is bringing forward its ban the sale of new petrol and diesel-engined cars and vans from 2040 until 2035 – although some hybrids will be allowed until 2035.

The widely anticipated move was confirmed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a column he wrote for the Financial Times. The ban is part of a 10-point plan set out by the Prime Minister to make the UK carbon neutral by 2050.

Johnson wrote that the government will "invest more than £2.8 billion in electric vehicles, lacing the land with charging pointd and creating long-lasting batteries in UK gigafactories. This will allow us to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans in 2030."

While that date is a full decade ahead of the initial 2040 date the government planned to ban sales of new combustion engined vehicles by, the government will allow certain hybrid cars and vans "that can drive a significant distance when no carbon coming out of the tailpipe" to be sold until 2035. While there is no clarification on what constitutes a “significant distance” yet, it is likely the regulations will allow plug-in hybrid cars, but not hybrid powertrains.

The £2.8 billion funding is likely to be split between spending on developing charging both public and private charging infrastructure, and through continuing the grants offered to buyers of zero or ultra-low emission vehicles.

Further updates to follow

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