Britain must press ahead with a ban on the sale of new plug-in hybrid cars by 2030 or risk being “on the disastrous road to zero-net”, officials have warned.
Cars like Toyota Prius, which features an internal combustion engine, will be excluded from the number of vehicles sold in the UK from 2030 or it will become “deeply” dependent on the government’s electric motor commitment, according to a representative. Electric Vehicles UK (EVUK).
The Department for Transport (DfT) will stop the sale of new cars powered solely by internal combustion engines from 1 January 2030.
It advises what other types of new cars – such as full hybrids – may be sold between that date and the end of 2034, after which all new zero-emissions cars will be banned.
Ministers have come under huge pressure to postpone the date when the full ban on non-electric cars takes place.
Full hybrids, including the Toyota Prius, have a gasoline or diesel engine and an electric motor powered by a battery.
The battery is recharged by the engine rather than an external plug, and can only be driven on electricity for a few miles and usually at low speeds.
The chief executive of EVUK, Dan Caesar, said he would not stop the plug in new hybrids – some of which have no emissions of more than 50 miles – sold between 2030 and 2035, but for those without the plug would be condemned.
“The inclusion of full hybrid hybrid technology would be disastrous and make a mockery of the world’s zero-emission vehicle policy,” he said in a press release.
“If the lobbyists convince the government to include full hybrids it will be a big move back.
“The ramifications for the nascent EV industry and fragile consumer confidence can be high.
“Holding the line and creating certainty around EVs has the potential to be a key way to revive a sluggish economy.”
Dr Andy Palmer, former chief executive of Aston Martin and chief operating officer NissanHe described the full hybrid as a “better solution” than mild hybrids – which cannot be driven on electricity alone – but said it was a “technology” that was used in the late 1990s.
Under the zero-emission vehicles (Zev) mandate introduced at the beginning of 2024, manufacturers must sell a minimum percentage of pure electric cars each year. The threshold rises from 22% in 2024 to 28% in 2025, and will reach 80% in 2030.
The government’s consultation, which runs until February 18, will consider more flexible cables after some parts of the automotive industry requested a mandate to put the business on the line.
In November, the owner of Vauxhall, Stellantis announced the closure of a van-making factory in Lutonputting 1,100 jobs at risk and said the decision was made in the context of a “tightening” order by Zev.
A DfT spokesman said: “In the industry we are consulting on which cars, including which types of hybrid cars, can be sold as fully zero-emissions vehicles from 2030.
“Drivers have already embraced electric vehicles faster than ever, and in 2024 the new car market was on the horizon,” with the strongest overall growth of any major European market.
“The industry will help zero-emission vehicles shape transitions for businesses, drivers, and the environment.
“Together we can support a clean energy transition for thousands of jobs, make the UK a clean energy superpower and rebuild Britain.”