The prime minister of the UK, Boris Johnson, has just announced his new 10-point green plan for the future of the country and as hoped he has brought forward the ban of sales of polluting petrol and diesel cars to 2030. The sale of hybrids will remain in place until 2035. The idea is to push the sales of zero-emission electric cars and vehicles for a cleaner and healthier future.
Currently, electric cars account for around seven percent of sales. This has been growing at a rapid rate, especially in the last year. The change will not only help to tackle climate change but cleaner air will make life healthier for all and create new jobs in this growing sector.
The government announced an investment of £1.3 billion to install charge points in around the country in homes, streets and on motorways. This to help owners of electric cars enjoy easy clean motoring and encourage the adoption of zero-emission driving.
In his speech, the prime minister also outlined £582 million in grants to encourage the adoption and change to electric cars. He also said the government plans to invest nearly £500 million over the next four years for the development and mass-scale production of electric vehicle battery manufacturing in the Midlands and the North East. When it comes to new diesel HGVs the government will launch a consultation to clean up freight transport but no date has been set yet.
This announcement to ban sales of petrol and diesel cars by 2030 now puts the UK in second behind Norway in the race to clean up driving. Norway’s ban comes in much earlier in 2025. The government has warned UK car producers about the scale of this challenge but by forcing the change it will give firms a competitive edge in this new and growing market.
Johnson said: “My 10-point plan will create, support and protect hundreds of thousands of green jobs, whilst making strides towards net-zero by 2050. Our green industrial revolution will be powered by the wind turbines of Scotland and the North East, propelled by the electric vehicles made in the Midlands and advanced by the latest technologies developed in Wales, so we can look ahead to a more prosperous, greener future.”
