Driving people to offload quality old cars

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【Summary】London motorists are selling their non-compliant vehicles ahead of the expansion of London's Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) on August 29. Data from carwow shows a 30% increase in the number of non-ULEZ-compliant cars listed on its platform in July compared to November 2022. A recent poll reveals that 27% of carwow users are selling their cars specifically due to ULEZ. There is high demand for good-quality, non-compliant cars in other parts of the UK.

FutureCar Staff Aug 18, 2023 7:17 AM PT

Driving people to offload quality old cars

London motorists are rushing to sell their non-compliant vehicles ahead of the expansion of London's Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) on August 29. According to new data from carwow, there has been a significant increase in the number of Londoners listing non-ULEZ-compliant cars on its platform. In July, 30% of all listings were non-compliant, compared to 20% in November 2022 when the ULEZ expansion was announced.

This surge in listings suggests that many car owners are eager to sell their non-compliant vehicles before the deadline. A recent poll conducted by carwow revealed that 27% of its users were selling their cars specifically due to the ULEZ. Sally Foote, carwow's UK managing director, explained that buyers outside major metropolitan areas are particularly interested in non-compliant cars that don't need to adhere to the ULEZ requirements.

However, Foote believes that as more consumers become aware of the implications of the ULEZ changes, the trend of selling non-compliant cars will gain even more momentum. Many drivers are currently confused about whether their cars will incur charges under the new ULEZ expansion. In fact, carwow's research found that 64% of Londoners are unsure about the impact on their vehicles. As the ownership costs increase and fines are imposed from September onwards, Foote predicts a shift in supply and demand for affected cars across the capital.

Despite the confusion surrounding the ULEZ scheme, carwow's research indicates that there is broad support for the zones among Londoners. 40% of respondents expressed their support for the ULEZ and other low emission zones, while only 31% opposed them. Additionally, more than half (56%) of the surveyed Londoners agreed that the ULEZ expansion and other measures aimed at reducing emissions are effective.