
New date for Government 2030 ICE ban
Reports suggest the Government is willing to take further steps to encourage the take-up of electric vehicles, as part of its ‘green recovery’ from the pandemic.
There is talk that the ban on new ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles will be brought forward from 2040 to 2030, though the plans that were due to be announced in September have been put on hold as a result of the rising number of coronavirus cases.
This potential change has been well received by the industry and is something that LeasePlan fully encourages, as we already have our own 2030 target for our entire vehicle fleet.
While celebrating this news, Matthew Walters, head of consultancy, also raises a key concern. He says:
"The UK Government's plans to bring forward the ban on new fossil fuel vehicles are suitably ambitious, and a welcome sign that it is taking the nation's transition to EVs seriously. However, the government still needs to address the elephant in the room: what happens to EV supply post Brexit?
"We need urgent answers from the government on what will happen to the continuity of EV supply shipments when trade tariffs are introduced. We must ensure that the UK still keeps its place at the table."