The Conservative Party government pledged at the turn of the decade to ban (or “end,” in political talk) the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030. But now the EU has watered down its own target, having been nudged by Germany to allow the registration of combustion engines beyond 2035 so long as they use carbon-neutral fuels, Britain’s aim is reported to have been “thrown into chaos.”
A tranche of politicians and commentators have, in fact, opposed the ban—and the wider carbon ‘net-zero’ target which the government said it was a “historic step” towards—for some time. Tory MP and former cabinet minister Sir John Redwood told The European Conservative that he and his colleagues “live in hope” of a reversal, while accepting that Rishi Sunak’s administration has “so far” proved itself “unwilling” to reconsider.
Grant Shapps, the secretary of state for net zero, who was last month revealed not to have installed a heat pump in his home despite pushing steep targets for other Britons, appears unwilling to budge on the 2030 plan. The Financial Times reports that he “has vowed to press ahead with plans to ban the sale of new petrol- and diesel-engined cars by 2030 despite the EU recently agreeing to a possible exemption.” Rather than take the EU’s backpedalling as an opportunity to relax the UK’s position, Mr. Shapps rubbed salt in the wounds of the Brussels leaders who blacked down to Berlin, telling reporters: “We’ve always been more forward-leaning on this stuff than the EU.”
The Daily Telegraph reported, however, that “sources” have suggested “Whitehall was considering following the Commission’s lead by also allowing an e-fuel exemption.” The paper adds that “the EU’s actions will complicate the picture and embolden opponents.”
Sir John said it was “quite obvious” that a “full transition” from petrol and diesel car sales by 2030 is not possible. He added that “far from increasing” the production of electric cars in the UK, the policy will instead encourage “more imports,” thus allowing foreign companies to “exploit the absence” and “make big profit[s].”
Upon entering office, Mr. Sunak outlined his five “key priorities” for 2023, the second of which was “economy growing.” Scrapping the imposing ban and working to support the car industry is, according to Sir John, a “clear example” of how Britain could attract more investment and fulfil this pledge. Not doing so would see the government “fail on all aims”—both growing the economy and boosting the British electric car industry.
Responding to reports of a possible backtrack, a government source said:
We remain committed to ensuring all new cars and vans are zero emission at the tailpipe by 2035, and have invested more than £2 billion to help people switch.
