The UK government has decided to ban the sale of internal combustion engine cars sooner than expected, moving the date up from 2040 to 2035. This move has since been criticized by the country’s automakers association, the SMMT.
What may come as a shock to some people is that the ban will include not just diesel and petrol-powered vehicles, but also hybrids and even plug-in hybrids, as reported by Autonews Europe.
The SMMT meanwhile would have wanted the government to announce this change while also including additional support to help the UK’s auto industry, which didn’t happen.
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“We need to hear how government plans to fulfill its ambitions in a sustainable way, one that safeguards industry and jobs,” stated SMMT CEO Mike Hawes. “A date without a plan will merely destroy value today.”
By moving up this ban and including plug-in hybrids as well, the UK would certainly separate itself from other countries such as France, which plans to ban the sale of combustion-engine cars by 2040. However, diesel and petrol models still account for 90% of sales in Britain, which is what worries the SMMT.
“As we set out our plans to hit our ambitious 205 net zero target across this year, so we shall urge others to join us in pledging net zero emissions,” said the UK’s Prime Minister.
Ultimately, Britain’s tactics will favor battery-electric vehicles, and could in time affect the wealth of oil producers around the globe.
