Britain revealed Thursday that the country will continue with its previous timetable to eliminating fossil fuel-burning cars by 2035, mitigating the consequences of last week's five-year delay, which now mandates that petrol and diesel vehicles must incorporate hybrid engines.
This announcement means that the policy shift introduced last week by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's will not generate as much disruption to the industry as manufacturers had anticipated.
The rule stipulates that just 20 percent of the vehicles manufactured will retain the capability to use petrol or diesel fuels from 2030 to 2035. Therefore, Prime Minister Sunak's decision to remove the hybrid requirement will only impact a relatively small portion of the vehicle fleet.
"Our mandate provides certainty for manufacturers, benefits drivers by providing more options and helps grow the economy," said transport minister Mark Harper.
The government's timetable, revealed Thursday, confirms that there will be no alteration to the existing plan for gradually increasing the proportion of vehicles that generate no emissions whatsoever.
According to the zero emission vehicles (ZEV) mandate, which will remain in place, car manufacturers are required to ensure that 22% of their sales next year are EVs. This percentage will progressively rise, reaching 80% EVs by 2030 and ultimately achieving a full transition to 100% EVs by 2035.
"With less than 100 days to go, manufacturers finally have clarity on what they are required to sell next year and up to 2030," said Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) CEO Mike Hawes in a statement.
The government also maintained its prior objective of achieving 70% electric van sales by 2030, followed by a complete transition to 100% electric van sales by 2035.