Auto Repair Focus Editor Phil Curry discusses what a delay in the petrol and diesel ban on new car sales in the EU might mean for the UK’s automotive market, and the aftermarket in general.
The European Union has amended its plans for its petrol and diesel ban in new-car sales from 2035. But what does this mean for the UK?
Love them or loathe them, battery-electric vehicles (EVs) are here to stay. They are part of the automotive future and offer a credible alternative to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. It cannot be denied that they are better for the environment, although some may argue that the total carbon footprint is larger when viewed from a production and mineral-sourcing point of view.
But there are issues. From my own point-of-view, the technology has been rushed into service. Personally, I believe that if we want to achieve zero-emission motoring, we need a combination of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles (FCEVs). And when it comes to BEVs, solid-state batteries are the best solution, offering faster charging and longer range.
But regulations have conspired to push carmakers down the BEV route early. The CO2 emissions targets set out by the EU for 2015 and beyond were easily met, thanks to the popularity of the diesel market. Then came Dieselgate. Suddenly, governments stopped pushing the powertrain. The media began to demonise the technology, and registrations plummeted.
But where did these buyers of diesel go? At the time, the only viable technology was petrol. With that, average fleet CO2 emissions shot up, and suddenly carmakers were in danger of missing targets, and facing heavy fines.
Therefore, a petrol and diesel ban in the new car market seemed the only option to cut spiralling greenhouse emissions.
BEVs the only option
The only possible technology to help offset the petrol emission was battery-electric. It was in the early-stages of development, but more advanced than hydrogen. So, the push for BEVs began, and carmakers, worried about fines for missing CO2 targets, focused solely on developing the powertrain further.
Fast forward to today, and in the UK, BEVs are the second-best-selling powertrain, behind petrol. But limitations remain. Range anxiety may be largely a thing of the past, but to get a car with a decent distance for travelling on a single charge requires a higher price to pay.
Additionally, the UK’s charging infrastructure has failed to keep up with demand. The Guardian recently reported that by the end of November 2025, there were 87,200 chargers installed in the UK, an increase of 13,500 compared to the end of 2024. However, this was the lowest number of new chargers installed in the UK since 2022. this is not a good position with the petrol and diesel ban looming.
EU petrol and diesel ban plans change
Yet the UK government remains resolute in its plans for a petrol and diesel ban on new car sales by 2030 and have only new zero-emission models leave forecourts from 2035.
However, at the end of 2025, the EU parliament voted to delay its own plans for banning new ICE sales from 2035, by five years. Instead, emissions targets will be stricter, with a 90% reduction in CO2 levels, based on 2021 levels. This can be met by using low-carbon steel in production, alongside developing models to run on e-fuels.
Therefore, carmakers have been given a stay of execution when it comes to ICE. Petrol and diesel can be sold until 2040, which gives manufacturers time to develop zero-emission technology properly. At the same time, governments in the EU can build their charging networks, ready for the uptake, when the petrol and diesel ban on new car sales comes into force.
The 2030 target of a 55% reduction in CO2 emissions could also be more flexible, with a ‘banking and borrowing’ scheme between 2030 and 2032. This means manufacturers could get three years to reduce their emissions compared with 2021. This helps reduce the need for a petrol and diesel ban to arrive any sooner than required.
The EU acknowledged that consumer confidence in BEVs was just not at the level required to force carmakers down the route of zero-emission only by 2035. The latest data from the European Automotive Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) shows that by the end of November 2025, BEVs had a market share of just 16.9%. However, in many markets, their share of total registrations after 11 months of 2025 were in the single digits.
The UK issue
But what does this mean for the UK? Quite simply, something will have to change, despite the government’s insistence that it is business as usual when it comes to the petrol and diesel ban for new cars in 2030.
The issue is that carmakers who pursue petrol and diesel powertrains for as long as they can, would not want to develop cars solely for the UK. Those carmakers may limit their BEV model rollout until they can get the technology right and offset emissions through e-fuel development.
Therefore, the likelihood is that the UK will see restricted model availability if it continues down its 2030 and 2035 path. Having already been five-years out of sync compared to the EU with its petrol and diesel ban, a 10-year difference will be insurmountable.
If, however, the plans for a petrol and diesel ban from 2030 remain unchanged, the UK will instead see an influx of Chinese carmakers. Many of these brands do not have, or rely, on petrol-engine sales. As traditional carmakers lessen their available stock to the UK market, the likes of BYD, Omoda, Jaecoo, Chery, Changan, and others, could pick up the slack.
But this will still limit choice. In addition, EU countries will have access to more refined and developed zero-emission models first, while the UK will have to do with ‘older’ technology.
The current petrol and diesel ban position
Yet the government is pushing for BEV adoption, through its electric car grant, and by finally raising the Expensive Car Supplement to £50,000 for all-electric models.
The issue of charging is what prevents me from buying a BEV. I’ve driven many different models, from the MG ZS EV to the Puma Gen-E and Kia EV3. They are good cars, but as I live in a top floor apartment, I cannot have a home charger installed. Instead, I rely on the public-charging network. For all the government’s plans to install gullies in pavements to help those without off-street parking, I do not think I qualify.
So, pushing onward when the EU has acknowledged a problem could be a futile move, and one that would not sit well with the public.
Impact on the aftermarket
But while the government discusses the potential for change in the petrol and diesel ban behind closed doors, keeping the party line in the public, there is widespread confusion over what the future holds for the UK automotive industry.
The aftermarket need not fear the petrol and diesel ban, however. It is the one sector where it can be ‘business as usual’.
The fact remains that petrol and diesel cars will remain on UK roads for a long time to come. However, they will gradually be replaced with electric models, from hybrids to BEVs. Some drivers will be able to make the switch, and this number will increase as these all-electric vehicles become affordable, and those that can charge at home, will.
Therefore, understanding the technology and investing in the right tooling is crucial. Only a few months ago, hybrids overtook petrol as the most dominant powertrain type in the UK, and petrol registrations have been in decline for some time. Electrified, if not electric, vehicles will start coming into workshops in droves.
Petrol may have won a stay of execution, and if the UK follows the EU into delaying its petrol and diesel ban on new cars, the parc will increase. But looking at data from the SMMT, it is clear that a gradual decline in popularity will likely continue.
So, the aftermarket must be prepared for a zero-emission future. But thanks to the EU, we are no clearer on how that will look, or when it will come into play. But electrification is certainly here to stay.
