Offloading Quality Old Cars Due to Looming ULEZ Deadline

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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. Data from carwow shows a 30% increase in the number of non-ULEZ compliant cars being listed on its platform in July. A recent poll revealed that 27% of carwow users were selling their cars specifically due to ULEZ. The trend is likely to accelerate as more people become aware of the changes.

FutureCar Staff Aug 16, 2023 9:49 AM PT

Offloading Quality Old Cars Due to Looming ULEZ Deadline

London motorists are rushing to sell their non-compliant vehicles ahead of the expansion of London's Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) on August 29th. According to new data from carwow, the number of Londoners listing non-ULEZ-compliant cars on its platform has jumped to 30% in July, up from 20% in November 2022 when the ULEZ expansion was announced.

This increase 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 due to ULEZ. Sally Foote, carwow's UK managing director, stated that car buyers outside major metropolitan areas are actively searching for good quality used cars that don't need to be ULEZ-compliant.

According to Foote, there is still high demand for non-compliant cars in other parts of the UK, especially those with a full service history. However, she believes that this trend will gain more momentum as more consumers become aware of the implications of the ULEZ changes.

Many drivers are currently confused about the ULEZ expansion, with 64% of Londoners unsure if their cars would incur charges under the new scheme. Foote predicts that as more people realize the increase in ownership costs or face fines from September onwards, there will be a shift in supply and demand for affected cars across the capital.

Despite the confusion surrounding the ULEZ scheme, carwow's research found that 40% of Londoners support the zones, while only 31% oppose them. More than half of the surveyed Londoners (56%) agreed that the ULEZ expansion and other new low emission zones were effective measures.