As part of the UK government's air quality plan, the UK will end the sale of new conventional petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2040 – the 'road to zero'.
Road to Zero also includes government's ambitions for the number of ultra-low emission vehicles on the road by 2030. The government wants at least 50% — and as many as 70% — of new car registrations to be ultra-low emission by 2030, alongside up to 40% of new vans.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
The SMMT warned that the target of 50-70% of the market for cars and 40% of the market for vans "is far higher than the expectations set out by the European Commission or by other major automotive markets". The UK is currently at just 2.2% market penetration of ultra-low emission vehicles, and only 0.6% of zero emission vehicles, underscoring the challenge involved in increasing this to at least 50% in only 12 years.
For consumers to adopt these technologies, the SMMT said government must provide a long-term commitment to a "world-class package of incentives, including tax and other financial stimuli, policy support and infrastructure – only some of which have been set out today".
Since 2009, the UK's Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) has considered an ultra-low emission vehicle (ULEV) to be a car or van that emits less than 75g/km of CO2.
Recognising advancements in technology, the government says that from 2021 it expects to define an ULEV as a car or van that emits less than 50g/km. The Road to Zero Strategy is described by the government as technology neutral and does not speculate on which technologies might help to deliver the 2040 goal.
