Great Britain submits: Internal combustion engine taboo from 2030
The sale of new petrol and diesel cars will be banned sooner than planned. The country is thus putting pressure on the automotive industry, including on the European continent.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants to ban the registration of new vehicles with internal combustion engines in the British Isles within 10 years. Hybrid vehicles should be able to be sold until 2035. The Tory politician wants to invest £1.3 billion in the expansion of charging structures, and almost £600 million will be spent on premiums for the purchase of electric vehicles.
Johnson plans to invest a total of £ 12 billion in greener technologies. Offshore wind farms will also be promoted and innovative projects such as CO2 storage and the use of hydrogen as an energy carrier will be promoted. Some 250,000 green jobs are expected to be created in this way. Great Britain was the first of the G7 countries to commit to climate neutrality by 2050.
Britain's plans could also put pressure on European car manufacturers on the mainland. Britain has a very limited car industry: the Bentley brand belongs to Volkswagen, Mini is part of the BMW group. The no deal brexit, i.e. Britain leaving the EU without a trade agreement, makes it difficult for possible aspirations of the British Isles to build a strong car industry at home, as suppliers and personnel have difficulty moving between markets. Electric cars in the UK are currently still mainly developed by Japanese manufacturers. A large sales market could therefore open up in the British Isles for European car manufacturers, which would further drive the industry in the development of electric cars.
It remains to be seen, however, whether British policy will do enough to make the switch to electric mobility acceptable to the end consumer. If only bans were to be introduced instead of incentives, those who cannot afford new electric cars would suffer most. Environmental zones in which combustion engines are banned are also likely to be created.
There are already environmental zones in various British cities, where the fines sometimes exceed 1000 pounds, including for tourists. The Green Zones app will help you find out about the British low emission zones and avoid penalties.