All the way back in 2020, the UK’s then Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed a plan to end sales of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030. That timeline didn’t last long, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pushing the ban to 2035. The current Labour government then moved things back to the original 2030 target.
It’s pretty clear the UK still hasn’t settled on a long-term direction, and it turns out Europe is wrestling with the same problem. Multiple industry sources now say the EU is preparing to shift its own rulebook, likely moving the planned 2035 ban on new combustion engines to 2040. People working inside major manufacturers suggest the announcement is close, but no one knows exactly when it will land.
Pressure from Europe’s biggest carmakers seems to be a major driver behind the rethink. The timing also lines up with Porsche’s recent decision to extend development support for combustion engines and delay certain electric projects. Stuttgart may be the first to show its hand, but the expectation is that others will follow, especially if it keeps them competitive in the near term, even at a financial cost.
Concerns about the practicality of the planned bans were being raised as early as 2022. Some OEMs weren’t disputing the need to cut emissions, but were pointing out an obvious issue: most cars still on the road in 2030 will be using internal combustion. In 2022, BMW board chairman Oliver Zipse urged leaders in Europe and the UK not to impose a blanket end to combustion engines. He also called on the UK government to rethink its strategy around stopping ICE sales from 2030.
Much like the UK, the EU’s combustion ban won’t make existing petrol or diesel cars illegal. It simply prevents new ones from being sold, meaning every new car registered from 2040 would need to be fully electric if the revised timeline is confirmed. Britain’s rules differ slightly, allowing plug-in hybrids to remain on sale for five extra years after pure ICE models disappear in 2030.