The headline-grabber amongst a raft of ‘green’ initiatives announced by the UK government was the plan to ban all diesel and petrol automobiles by 2030 (and hybrids of indeterminate pedigree by 2035).
On the face of it, this is a relocation that ought to be welcomed. It’s big, bold and ambitious. Yet, this announcement will no doubt have been greeted with a degree of trepidation in the boardrooms of British automakers. In a global market, the UK needs to see this kind of commitment replicated worldwide. If this is a unilateral act of the UK alone, the unintentional consequences would be to hand a sizeable advantage to foreign producers with less enthusiastic commitments to the green agenda. Thankfully, as hosts of the global climate change conference (COP26) next year in Glasgow, the UK has a distinct opportunity to demonstrate its leadership and challenge others to follow suit.
2030 petrol and diesel ban: what is it and which automobiles are affected?
There’ll also be question marks over how British producers are supported over this next decade of transition. The UK is a world leader in building off-road SUVs and luxury vehicles. Yet, these producers are the ones who will need the most support to be ready for 2030. expect the CEOs of these companies to be lobbying hard for government grants and support with the capital expenditure required to pivot operations accordingly.
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