In recent years, pressure has been increasing on governments around the world to do something about the environmental damage caused by petrol and diesel cars, and UK leaders have made a strong commitment to this over the past year or two. The 2020 announcement that sales of cars wholly powered by petrol or diesel will be stopped from 2030 has understandably had many car owners asking questions.
Boris Johnson used the phrase ‘green industrial revolution’ to describe the commitment to tackle climate change, and it’s easy to see why. Where this leaves the average UK motorist is another matter, however. In the coming years, for example, if you try to sell your petrol or diesel car it’s likely to be less in demand as 2030 inexorably starts to come into view on the horizon.
It’s worth pointing out, however, that such restrictions won’t apply to hybrid vehicles until 2035, so if you have already made the switch to such a car there is no need to worry too much just yet. In practical terms, petrol and diesel cars have become less harmful in the past decade or more thanks to improved exhaust systems and fuel additives, but they are still more damaging than we would like.
No need to panic just yet
Another important thing to remember is that you won’t suddenly be banned from driving your car in 2030. You can still drive it for as long as you want, but the sale of new cars from then on will be limited to more greener forms of propulsion, which at the moment mainly includes electric cars. If you’re looking to make the switch in the coming months, there are government grants available to make the purchase cheaper.
One issue that is likely to be something of a hot potato between now and 2030 is the infrastructure that we need for electric cars. We see charging points in a number of locations on a daily basis now, of course, but there are nowhere near enough of them to support the major changeover that will be coming our way. Hopefully that will be remedied in plenty of time.
In the meantime, it makes sense to keep your current car in the best working order, and that means making sure it’s serviced regularly. Here at Tannadice Motors, we service all makes and models of cars every working day, so if you feel your vehicle is in need of some attention, simply call 01382 690 898 and have a chat with the experts. We hope you’ll make that call soon.
