Labour to Reinstate Ban on New Petrols and Diesels in 2030

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【Summary】Labour has announced that it will reimpose the 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars if it wins the next general election. The party aims to provide certainty for the car industry and bolster infrastructure by setting binding targets for councils to install EV charging points. Labour's shadow business secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, criticized the government for delaying the ban and leaving carmakers in limbo.

FutureCar Staff Oct 09, 2023 9:26 AM PT

Labour to Reinstate Ban on New Petrols and Diesels in 2030

The Labour party has announced that if it wins the next general election, it will reimpose the 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars. Shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds stated that the party would reinstate the goal within months to provide certainty for the car industry. Additionally, councils would be given binding targets to install electric vehicle (EV) charging points to strengthen infrastructure.

Reynolds criticized the government's decision to delay the ban by five years while still setting high quotas for zero-emission car sales through the ZEV mandate. He argued that this uncertainty was leaving carmakers in limbo and undermining international investment. Reynolds highlighted that both the industry and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) have been clear in their support for the 2030 ban.

At the Labour party conference, Reynolds will present the party's industrial strategy, which includes the reintroduction of the 2030 ban. Prime Minister Boris Johnson previously claimed that delaying the ban would save households money. However, Reynolds explained that the lifetime costs of EVs are cheaper than petrol cars, and the high list prices of electric vehicles are expected to decrease in the coming years.

In addition to the ban, Labour plans to provide co-funding of approximately £1.5bn for new gigafactories in the UK. This figure has decreased by around £500m due to the government's commitment to support Jaguar Land Rover's new gigafactory in Somerset. Labour also aims to reduce planning approval times for infrastructure projects such as gigafactories from years to months and loosen planning rules to help authorities meet charging point installation targets.

Reynolds further stated that the £950m rapid charging fund, which was intended to boost motorway charging but has not been implemented since its announcement in 2020, would be released and redirected. The car industry responded with strong criticism to the delay of the 2030 ban.