Labour has caused confusion over its petrol and diesel car ban, with motoring experts confused as to whether the ban has been reinstated.
In their manifesto, the Government had pledged to re-introduce the 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars after the Conservatives pushed the policy back to 2035.
There was an expectation that an announcement on the move would be made around the Autumn Budget speech.
However, Chancellor Rachel Reeves didn’t announce any changes in the House of Commons last week with only a brief mention in the later released Budget document.
The wording has left many confused as to whether the scheme has officially been adopted or was just re-iterating the Government’s longer-term plans.
In the 170-page budget, Labour writes: “The transition to electric vehicles (EVs) is crucial to decarbonising transport and will support growth and productivity across the UK. There are now more than one million electric cars on our roads.
“The government has committed to phasing out new cars that rely solely on internal combustion engines by 2030 and that from 2035 all new cars and vans sold in the UK will be zero emission.”
Speaking to Car Dealer Magazine, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) is said to have “played down” the wording.
They claimed the wording was just ‘official policy’ and had not added any more details to confirm the 2030 date had officially returned.
Speaking to Express.co.uk after the budget, Stuart Tolley, GEO Director at EV charging solution provider Virta, seemed to suggest the 2030 date was yet to be adopted.
He said: “Labour’s pledge to support the uptake of electric vehicles must be welcomed, although we are still awaiting their confirmation that they will reinstate the 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars.”
However, AutoTrader, the leading new and used car marketplace, suggested that the remarks could be seen as an “official” announcement.
Posting on LinkedIn, AutoTrader Insight posted: “2030 is officially back!
“Fantastic to see the Government highlighting the importance of the electric vehicle transition in the budget today, and even better to see the 2030 date return in black and white.
“Aligning the ZEV Mandate with the ban on sales of new ICE vehicles aligns consumers and the industry towards a common date which can only be a good thing.”