However, we know that the rise in electric vehicles doesn't mean the death of diesel and petrol. Petrol stations are still very much needed and will still be needed after 2040.
What happens to cars after 2040? You will still be able to drive a petrol or diesel car following the ban in 2040. The restriction only affects new cars registered after that date. Cars registered after 2040 will have to be 0 emissions vehicles.
All new petrol and diesel-powered cars and vans are set to be banned from sale in the UK in 2035, following a government move to postpone the measure that was originally scheduled to come into effect in 2030.
No, the petrol and diesel car ban is only on the sale of new combustion engine cars — those already on the road will still be legal to own and drive. As the average life of a car is 14 years, new petrol and diesel cars bought in late 2034 could remain on the roads until 2048 at least.
There is a lot of concern about the value of petrol cars after the 2030 ban. As 2030 approaches, the value of petrol cars is expected to plummet as manufacturers still offering new models for sale are likely to discount heavily.
In terms of climate and environment, switching to an electric vehicle is always a great idea. Unlike regular cars that use petrol or diesel, EVs do not produce harmful emissions. These days, more and more countries are worried about the environment and the amount of carbon dioxide we produce.
Certainly, there are some good lease and hire options out there that make running an electric car more affordable. But if you plan to own your car outright in the future, petrol and diesel still represent the most feasible and affordable options for most buyers.
What will happen to classic cars when petrol is banned?
In all likelihood, what will happen to classic cars after 2030 instead is that they will become increasingly expensive to run as petrol and diesel usage dwindles and prices for combustion fuels skyrocket. That will make running a classic car even more of a luxury than it already is.
A Department for Transport spokesperson told Car Dealer: 'We remain committed to phasing out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030, with all new cars and vans being zero-emission at the tailpipe by 2035. '
As the 2035 ban on petrol and diesel cars only impacts new cars, you will still be able to buy and sell used petrol and diesel cars after 2035. So, should you choose to change to another petrol or diesel car, as long as it's pre-loved, you can still buy another car without moving to electric or hybrids.
Will an electric car save help me save money? Choosing an electric car might seem more expensive as you make the switch, but the running costs and upkeep is usually cheaper. You'll be able to skip out on the maintenance that comes with oily engines, with fewer parts and functions to worry about.
Economical: Diesel engines consume around 15% less fuel than petrol equivalents and can go for greater distances between re-fuels. You can save roughly 2 litres of fuel for every 100 miles travelled by choosing a used diesel car.
What will happen to petrol stations when cars go electric?
Some EV owners do not have off-street parking, making home charging impossible for them. These drivers have to rely on fast public chargers to charge up their batteries quickly. Gas stations can rebrand into public charging stations and remain in business. The switch does not have to be abrupt.
We have seen policymakers and large companies push for this to happen within the next 15 years, with NRMA CEO Rohan Lund hinting at the expectation that petroleum-fueled cars will be off the market by 2030 or 2035. Alongside this, plans across the EU, Japan and the USA highlight phasing out to occur before 2040.
- Petrol engines are here to stay. It's a long, long time (think couple of decades) before they are phased out (if at all) in favour of EVs. And even in a hypothetical full-on EV world of 2050, there will always be a few ICE vehicles on offer. - We're past "peak diesel" for sure.
Existing petrol and diesel cars will not be banned from the roads in 2035 and there are no proposals to do so in the next few decades, or even this century.
However, the government has confirmed that owners of these cars will be able to purchase less problematic E5 fuel, albeit in more expensive, higher-octane super-unleaded form. The Petrol Retailers Association said in 2021: “E5 will still be available in five years' time, but only as the protection grade in 'super'.
The ability to retain an older car model and convert an engine, could ease the pressure on car manufactures to produce enough EVs to satisfy demand by 2040. This could potentially also lower the number of cars being initially scrapped and phase out older models at a slower rate.
Provided that it's well-looked after, the average lifespan of a petrol car is around 11-14 years or 200,000 miles. The average diesel car lives even longer, at around 30 years or 1,000,000 miles. Electric cars, meanwhile, live for an average of 10 years or 100,000 miles before hitting the bucket.
Will you still be able to buy used petrol and diesel cars in 2030 and beyond? The ban on petrol and diesel cars only applies to new car sales, so yes – we'll all still be able to buy second-hand petrol and diesel vehicles. The same will apply to used hybrids, which will still be legally available to buy after 2035.
The average lifetime mileage of an ICE vehicle is about 133,000 miles. While experts estimate the average EV battery will last around 200,000 miles, some manufacturers already promise much more than that.
By 2025, electric vehicle sales could comprise up to 20% of new car sales. By 2030, electric vehicle sales could reach 40% of new car sales. By 2040, electric vehicle sales could account for nearly all new car sales.
With a hybrid car, you'll still have to worry about things like oil changes and engine failure, unlike the electric vehicle, which only contains a battery and an electrical system. When it comes to performance, you will also notice a difference as an electric model will be smoother and accelerate faster than a hybrid.
The answer is yes. In line with UK regulations all cars, including electric vehicles, must have an MOT every year (if over 3 years old) to ensure they are safe to drive on UK roads.
So, as long as there are still petrol and diesel cars on the road, there will still be petrol stations. The only difference is, that they might look a little different in 2040 to cater for the expected increase in electric vehicles.
