EV SWITCH
Top brands that will scrap petrol and diesel cars by 2030 revealed – as they change to EV models
Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to overturn Rishi Sunak's decision to delay the ban on petrol and diesel cars
MAJOR car brands have revealed plans to switch to an all-electric motor lineup by 2030.
These brands are all set to ditch classic gas-guzzling motors - completely phasing out the production of petrol and diesel cars.
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Plans to go all green have been around for a while, with many motor brands rolling out long-term plans to switch to EVs completely amid the net zero transition.
Electric cars don't have exhaust pipes, which means unlike petrol and diesel vehicles, they don't produce polluting fumes when they are driven.
PM Rishi Sunak last year pushed back the scheduled 2030 ban by five years to 2035 as part of attempts to protect people from Net Zero costs.
However, Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to overturn Rishi Sunak's decision and outlaw the sale of new fossil fuel cars by the original timeline.
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To stay ahead of the competition, many car brands have pledged to push out EVs and ditch petrol and diesel vehicles even before the end of the decade.
Jaguar Land Rover
The British luxury carmaker is preparing to go completely electric from 2025 onwards, with production on all current models to conclude by the end of this year.
Back in 2022, Jaguar Land Rover committed to achieving net zero across its entire manufacturing process by 2039.
To this end, the company is heavily investing in EVs in a bid to cut carbon emissions on its products.
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Now, it has been confirmed that the Jaguar marque will scrap all saloon and sports car models in June this year.
The brand's Castle Bromwich plant in Solihull, West Midlands, will shut down production to convert it into a parts facility for EVs.
This will see the F-Type, XE and XF models all reach the end of the road.
Only the E-Pace, F-Pace and electric I-Pace SUVs will roll off production lines for the rest of the year.
Jag will then transition to an all-electric lineup in 2025, ditching petrol and diesel power altogether.
Ford
Ford is among the major carmakers that remain committed to an EV-only lineup by 2030.
The American carmaker is also chasing an interim target of all its European models being either electric or hybrid by 2026.
Bosses previously said that fewer petrol car models will be made in the UK to meet the electric vehicle targets under the new Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate in a bid to push EV production in the country.
As part of that eco-friendly push, the American giant reaffirmed its decision to discontinue the legendary Focus hatchback.
Martin Sander, general manager of Ford's European Electric Car Division, said: "In the long run, we are still deeply convinced that EVs will be the future and we will see a significant increase in volume.
"By the end of [2024] we will have a full range of electric vehicles – both in the passenger vehicle sector but also in our commercial vehicle business line – and we are quite flexible to adapt to market demand. For the next couple of years, we have a broad choice.
"Basically, our customers have the power of choice to pick what they want."
Nissan
Last year, Nissan revealed that all of their cars will be fully electric by 2030 - despite Mr Rishi's conforming a delay to the ban on petrol and diesel cars.
The carmaker has pledged to see the commitment through after it raised its targets for producing EV models in 2023.
It will be implemented throughout Europe - with petrol-based cars no longer up for sale.
Makoto Uchida, chief executive of the Japanese carmaker, said it is the right time to launch the initiative as they focus on the planet.
He said: "There is no turning back now.
"Nissan will make the switch to full electric by 2030 in Europe — we believe it is the right thing to do for our business, our customers and for the planet."
What is UK's new ZEV Mandate?
By Jacob Jaffa
INTRODUCED by the Department for Transport, the Government's new Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate came into force across the UK in January.
- Developed alongside devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the mandate will require a 22% share of new vehicles sold by any manufacturer in this country to be ZEVs.
- The threshold will then rise each year, eventually reaching £100 in 2035.
- Non-compliance will see car makers forced to pay a fine of £15,000 for every polluting vehicle above the limit that is sold. For example, if a brand missed its target by 100 units, it would be required to pay a whopping £1,500,000 penalty.
- A similar requirement is also being brought in for van sales, though at a lower starting point of 10%.
- The move seemingly largely nullifies PM Rishi Sunak's decision to delay the ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 to 2035, announced in September, as manufacturers will have to make 80% of their output zero-emission by the former deadline anyway.
- Technology and Decarbonisation Minister Anthony Browne said: "Alongside us having spent more than £2 billion in the transition to electric vehicles, our zero-emission vehicle mandate will further boost the economy and support manufacturers to safeguard skilled British jobs in the automotive industry.
- "We are providing investment certainty for the charging sector to expand our charging network, which has already grown by 44% since this time last year.
- "This will support the constantly growing number of EVs in the UK, which currently account for over 16% of the new UK car market."
- And Akira Kirton, the vice president of charging provider BP Pulse, added that the new rules would "instil confidence" in the future of EVs.
- Mr Kirton also reaffirmed the company's plans to invest £1 billion over the next 10 years to improve charging infrastructure.
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo, owned by Italian American conglomeration Stellantis, is set to abandon petrol and diesel-powered cars early.
Last year, the Italian carmaker announced it would launch only electric vehicles ( EVs) from 2025.
And from 2027 its entire lineup in Europe will be electric.
The industry giant announced it will phase out one of its most popular petrol cars as it focuses on producing EVs going forward.
Earlier this year, the car giant invested €103 million in Szentgotthard, a production site in Hungary - which will focus on the electrified future.
Vauxhall
Vauxhall had solid plans to beat the 2030 deadline and go all-electric by 2028.
However, The Sun last month revealed the British car could ditch plans to go all green by the set target - promising to do “what is right for the British public”.
Bosses confirmed that every model from Corsa supermini to the jumbo Movano van will have a battery-powered version by the end of this year.
This will allow buyers to have a choice between a gas-guzzler and a quiet electric motor.
Vauxhall design chief Mark Adams said: "We’re not going to turn our back on the British customer.
“We want to give them what they need and what they want, as long as they need. We are part of a big group that enables us to do that.
“Who can predict what’s going to happen tomorrow? Governments change. Pledges change.
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“But we’ve got everything we need to meet all of the milestones ahead of us. We’ve got the toolbox we need now. We’ve got the future toolbox of where we need to land. And we are weaving in the right things that help us bridge that transition period."
It is expected that the brand could go fully electric by 2035.