Brits will reportedly be unable to buy petrol or diesel cars after 2030, with the Government set to bring forward a ban planned for 2035.
An organisation representing electric vehicle drivers has welcomed the move, which Boris Johnson is set to announce next week as part of a package of green initiatives, according to the Financial Times.
It comes after research released by Greenpeace earlier this week found that 32,000 more jobs would be created by a 2030 ban instead of one five years later.
Electric Vehicle Association (EVA) England said the move would signal the Government is serious’ in its commitment to climate action. Director Gill Nowell said: ‘Whilst many cite range or charge point availability as an initial concern prior to purchase, overwhelmingly people who own an electric car love them as they say EVs (electric vehicles) are great to drive.
‘There is much work to be done to get ready for mass-market adoption but if the reports are correct, this would signal to us that the Government is serious in its commitment to climate action, improving air quality and building new industries.’
It comes amid reports of a shift in the Prime Minister’s approach, towards being more environmentally friendly, following the departure of his controversial adviser, Dominic Cummings.
In February, Mr Johnson set out plans to bring the ban forward from 2040 to 2035 at the latest, as part of efforts to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
The Financial Times suggests that industry and Whitehall figures expect the Prime Minister to bring the date forward, in an attempt to kick-start the electric car market and move towards the climate target.
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The National Grid has warned that the energy industry will need to focus on ensuring there is adequate network capacity in the right locations to enable the uptake of electric vehicles.
Graeme Cooper, transport decarbonisation director, said: ‘This will give drivers consistency, continuity and therefore confidence that their first or only car can be electric.
‘But the transition isn’t just about cars – we also need to see a broader strategy that covers rail, road, maritime and aviation, changing the way people and goods are moved.’
A report by economics consultancy Cambridge Econometrics for Greenpeace said thousands of jobs would be in sectors involved in energy, battery manufacturing and electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
But most new roles would be in industries such as retail, entertainment and leisure, the analysis found.
That is because researchers say the cost of owning and running an electric vehicle would be reduced, leading to consumers having more disposable income.
Logistics UK, which represents logistics businesses, said the industry remains ‘fully committed’ to transitioning to zero emission vehicles, with many operators already beginning the process.
But Denise Beedell, policy manager for vans and urban, warned the ban will be a challenge for commercial vehicle operators without urgent Government action on charging infrastructure.
‘Currently, if a logistics business does not have sufficient energy supply to power its electric vehicle fleet, they must pay to upgrade the entire local electricity hub themselves which can cost more than £1million,’ she said.
‘This cost is on top of the premium to buy electric vehicles which are more expensive than conventionally powered vehicles. Government action is needed to reduce these expenses.’
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