Looming ULEZ deadline prompts people to sell their good old cars

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【Summary】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 carwow, one in three listings on its platform in July were non-ULEZ compliant, indicating a rush to offload these cars. A recent poll revealed that 27% of carwow users were selling their cars specifically due to ULEZ. There is still high demand for good-condition non-compliant cars outside of major metropolitan areas.

FutureCar Staff Aug 15, 2023 6:33 AM PT

Looming ULEZ deadline prompts people to sell their good 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 their platform. In July, 30% of all listings were non-compliant vehicles, compared to 20% in November 2022 when the ULEZ expansion was announced.

The surge in listings indicates a rush to sell non-compliant vehicles before the deadline. A recent poll conducted by carwow revealed that 27% of their users were selling their cars specifically because of the ULEZ. Sally Foote, carwow's UK managing director, commented on the trend, stating that car buyers outside major metropolitan areas are actively seeking good quality used cars that do not need to be ULEZ-compliant. Foote also mentioned that there is still high demand for non-compliant cars in other parts of the UK.

Foote believes that the trend will continue to gain momentum as more consumers become aware of the implications of the ULEZ changes. Currently, there is confusion among drivers, with 64% of Londoners unsure if their cars will incur charges under the new ULEZ expansion. As people realize the increase in ownership costs or face fines from September onwards, there is likely to be a shift in supply and demand for affected cars across the capital.

Despite the confusion, carwow's research found that there is broad support for the ULEZ and other low emission zones. 40% of Londoners surveyed supported the zones, while only 31% opposed them. Additionally, more than half (56%) of Londoners agreed that the ULEZ expansion and other new low emission zones were effective measures.