Labour pledges to restore 2030 ICE ban

Labour has pledged to restore the 2030 ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars as part of its general election manifesto, released by the party last week.

Arguing that a return to the 2030 date would give “certainty to manufacturers” and “support the transition to electric vehicles”, Labour have vowed to overturn the Conservative government decision made last September to extend the deadline to 2035.

Many car manufacturers are still committed to working towards the 2030 date that was originally announced by Boris Johnson in November 2020.

As part of its announcement, Labour also pledged to help used car buyers make the switch by “standardising the information supplied on the condition of batteries.”

Ian Plummer, commercial director at Auto Trader commented, “We would welcome the restoration of the 2030 date change in regards to the ban on new petrol and diesel sales. Manufacturers and broader industry are already working towards this date following the Zero Emissions Mandate that the Government announced last year, so it makes sense to align consumer expectations providing them more certainty.

“We also welcome the broader commitments to standardize battery information to reassure buyers, given battery health worries are proving a blocker for some consumers considering making the switch. Although there is more a new Government could do – such as cutting VAT on public charging and supporting the used EV market– to encourage greener motoring.”