“Urgent measures” needed as 2030 petrol and diesel ban absent from King’s Speech

The UK car industry has called for “urgent measures” after the controversial reinstatement of the 2030 petrol and diesel sales ban was notably absent from Labour’s first King’s Speech on Wednesday.

Before the election, one of Labour's biggest transport-related pledges was to revert to the original 2030 date for the ban on the sale of new ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) cars, after Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government pushed it back to 2035. Such a move was not mentioned by King Charles III as one of the 40 draft laws announced in Labour’s first King’s Speech of its tenure. It is, however, expected to be announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in this Autumn’s budget.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders told Auto Express that it’s therefore calling on the government to implement “urgent measures” to address “concerns on affordability and infrastructure” around electric cars.

Mike Hawes, the SMMT’s Chief Executive, said: “The automotive industry looks forward to working with the new Labour government, implementing its plans for an industrial strategy as well as a dedicated Automotive Sector Plan.”

“Central to this will be the decarbonisation of all road transport,” he continued, “a goal to which the sector is committed as evidenced by the billions invested in new technologies, new facilities, and new products. While the EV market has grown rapidly, barriers still remain”.

Are consumers ready for EVs? 

Despite how keen the government and auto industry might appear to electrify our roads, it appears the British public does not echo this enthusiasm. Price comparison site, Quotezone, randomly surveyed 1,000 people and found that 57 per cent of respondents were not planning to go electric anytime soon. In fact, just eight per cent said they would do so before the 2035 deadline if it were to remain.

Even those looking to make the switch weren’t overly enthusiastic about it as Quotezone says that roughly three-quarters (78 per cent) of those it surveyed were not looking forward to transitioning to an EV, with 86 per cent saying they prefer petrol and diesel cars.

Over a third (38 per cent) said EVs were just too expensive to buy, while one in five (21 per cent) said charging infrastructure needs to be improved before they’ll consider choosing an electric car.

While only two per cent of respondents said high insurance costs were a factor in preventing them from going electric, Quotezone says the average price to insure an EV is now 54 per cent higher than the equivalent combustion car – an increase of 13 per cent compared to this time last year.

With this in mind, Quotezone’s CEO, Greg Wilson, said the hesitancy of motorists to go electric is “understandable”. “The challenge over the coming decade will be to address these concerns and support motorists in the transition to electric vehicles,” Wilson explained. “The future of motoring is electric, but we have some way to go before we achieve the ambitious targets that have been set.”

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