Labour's plan to reinstate ban on new petrols and diesels if elected

author: FutureCar Staff    

Labour has announced plans to reimpose the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 if it wins the next general election. Shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds stated that the party would reinstate the goal within months of taking office to provide certainty for the car industry. In addition to the ban, Labour would also require councils to set binding targets for the installation of electric vehicle (EV) charging points to strengthen infrastructure.

Reynolds criticized the government's decision to delay the introduction of the ban by five years while setting high quotas for zero-emission car sales through the ZEV mandate. He argued that this uncertainty was causing car manufacturers to be stuck in limbo. 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.

Reynolds will outline these plans at the Labour party conference in Liverpool. The reintroduction of the 2030 ban is just one component of the party's industrial strategy. The prime minister had previously stated that delaying the ban would save households money, but Reynolds argued that the lifetime costs of electric vehicles (EVs) are actually cheaper than petrol cars. Labour would also provide co-funding of around £1.5bn for new UK gigafactories.

Labour's plans also include cutting planning approval times for infrastructure projects such as gigafactories from years to months and loosening planning rules to help local authorities meet targets for installing new charging points. Reynolds also mentioned redirecting funding, including the unused £950m rapid charging fund announced in 2020, to support these initiatives.

The car industry strongly criticized the delay to the 2030 ban when it was announced last month.

FutureCar Staff