Drive to ban petrol car sales by 2030

... accelerating plan by 5 years

MINISTERS are under pressure to ban sales of new petrol, diesel and hybrid cars in ten years under plans to accelerate the transition to zeroemission vehicles.

MPs have urged the Prime Minister to bring the date forward from 2035 to 2030 to help the Government achieve its target of netzero emissions by 2050.

Ministers had originally planned to phase them out 2040 and have been accused by motor groups of ‘constantly moving the goalposts’ on the critical issue.

More than 100 Tory MPs are said to be urging ministers to adopt a 2030 target. Labour and the Committee on Climate Change are also backing the move.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, who owns an electric Tesla, has previously suggested a 2032 date.

If confirmed, the move would send shockwaves through Britain’s motor industry, which has warned it is not prepared for such rapid change. The Society of Motor Manufacturers says £17billion of investment is needed to get a charging network ready for the mass electric vehicle market.

The industry body recently calculated that more than 500 charge points will need to be built every day to meet the 2035 target. And motoring groups have cautioned that mass uptake of electric cars will require millions of pounds in grants to help drivers make the switch.

Although electric vehicle ownership is increasing, they accounted for just 4.7 per cent of all car sales in the first seven months of this year.

Banning the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in the next decade would put the UK in line with Ireland, Holland, Denmark and Sweden.

Downing Street said last night: ‘We have consulted on bringing forward the end to the sale of new petrol, diesel and hybrid cars and vans from 2040 to 2035, or earlier if a faster transition appears feasible.

‘We are considering responses and will publish our response to the consultation in due course.’