UK drivers in favour of 2030 delay

4th October 2023

Nearly two-thirds of UK drivers (60.1%) are in favour of the UK government’s decision to push back the ban on the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles to 2035.

This is according to the latest industry research by What Car?. It found that 43.3% of those who are in favour of the delay cited fears that charging infrastructure wouldn’t be ready in time for the original 2030 ban. The high cost of EVs, the fear of insufficient range, and a belief that the original timeframe of the ban would negatively affect UK businesses were other reasons cited. Meanwhile, 14.5% of those who agreed with the delay said that they simply prefer driving petrol or diesel vehicles.

However, the government has said that despite the delay, the proposed Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate would still go ahead, meaning that from January next year 22% of each manufacturer’s sales must be electric, increasing incrementally to 80% by 2030 and 100% by 2035. The survey found that 28.1% of respondents were opposed to the ZEV Mandate while 44.8% were not aware of it at all.

What Car? editor, Steve Huntingford, said: “It is telling that nearly two-thirds of UK drivers are in favour of pushing back the 2030 deadline. Concerns about a lack of charging infrastructure readiness and the cost of EVs are at the fore, highlighting how consumers believe that more time is needed for full electrification to be implemented. It’s crucial that the Government uses the extra five years to tackle these concerns.”