Britain must stick to its plan to stop selling all-new plug-in hybrid cars from 2030 or risk a “catastrophic mistake” that undermines its net zero ambitions, the Electric Vehicles UK (EVUK) group has warned.
The Department for Transport (DfT) will ban the sale of petrol and diesel cars completely from 1 January 2030, with consultations currently underway to determine which types of hybrid vehicles could remain on sale until the end of 2034. The Toyota Prius recharges its batteries from an internal combustion engine, and neither It can only drive a few miles on electric power alone.
Dan Cesar, chief executive of EVUK, said allowing full hybrids would be a “disastrous misstep”, eroding public confidence in switching to electric vehicles. While he supports hybrid cars – which can drive greater distances in electric-only mode – remaining on sale until 2035, Kaiser believes full hybrids cannot provide true zero-emission cars.
Dr. Andy Palmer, former Aston Martin CEO and Nissan’s chief operating officer, described full hybrids as better than mild hybrids, but said they “go back to the late 1990s.”
Under the Zero Emission Vehicle (Zev) mandate introduced this year, automakers must sell a set percentage of pure electric vehicles annually. The target rises from 22% in 2024 to 80% by 2030. Some industry players, including Vauxhall owner Stellantis, have warned of job losses if the timetable remains unchanged.
A DfT spokesperson said the government aims to work closely with industry to shape a seamless transition, adding that “drivers are already adopting electric vehicles faster than ever before.”
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