Wednesday 20 September 2023

Delayed ban on diesel and petrol cars ‘incredibly confusing’

The industry has raised concerns about the potential delay in implementing the ban on new petrol and diesel cars. 

Mike Hawes, the Chief Executive Officer of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), expressed his apprehension about the policy change, which has been widely discussed and may shift the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans from 2030 to 2035.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Hawes emphasised the importance of a robust domestic market for electric cars in the UK to incentivise further investment in local manufacturing.

Mike Hawes said: "We’re trying to understand what is going to happen next between this sort of statement (on the 2030 ban) and that policy, and the message it sends consumers which must be incredibly confusing."

"The concern now is, does this cause consumers to delay their purchase?"

SMMT data revealed a decline in the private sector's share of the battery electric new car market, dropping from 36.2% in the first half of 2022 to 24.2% during the same period this year.

In contrast, there has been an uptick in demand for EVs in fleet registrations, partly driven by the lower company car tax for electric cars.