Retailers disagree with 2030 ICE ban revival
19 August 2024
More than half of auto retailers say they disagree with the proposed reinstatement of the 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars, reveals Auto Trader research. The new Labour government vowed to reinstate the ban on non-hybrid ICE cars, after the Conservative government pushed it back in October 2023.
The research comes as data shows the number of retailers advertising EVs has stayed flat year-on-year, despite the growth in new EV sales. The marketplace says this is because of government announcements and market volatility, which have taken a toll on retailer confidence.
“Electrification is a significant change,” said Auto Trader sales director Rebecca Clark, “and with change comes uncertainty and confusion, and that’s why we’re trying to help share more balanced and fact-based narratives with both retailers and consumers”.
There is also growing debate around the new government’s position around EVs, including the potential for a “contentious ‘pay-per-mile” road scheme to be adopted in the long run.
In April 2025, VED will no longer be free for EVs. What’s more, as many EVs cost more than £40k, they will be subject to the £40k ‘expensive car’ supplement, meaning road tax will cost £600 a year. This will add “up to £2,050 to the cost of owning an EV”.
Earlier in August, Liam Butterworth, boss of driveline giant Dowalis (formerly GKN) dismissed EV sales targets and predicted that, even by the mid-2040s, “we’ll still be probably around 50% of new passenger cars with an ICE engine of some form or another”.
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