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What Does the 2040 Petrol and Diesel Ban Mean for Dealers?

Earlier this year, the government announced that petrol and diesel cars will be banned by 2040, as part of a plan to achieve zero emissions by 2050. However, the path to this goal remains unclear.
Is the Ban Realistic?

The attempt to reduce petrol and diesel emissions is an honourable prospect, although, the full air pollution lifecycle must be considered. While pure-electric vehicles do not emit harmful substances on the road, emissions may be produced in the generation of the electricity required to charge the vehicles in the first place, as well as the initial manufacture of the car. To truly make vehicles completely zero-emissions, radical change is needed.

Furthermore, consumers are likely to have reservations about electric cars, particularly regarding battery life and degradation. In manufacturer warranties, there are various restrictions concerning batteries, with some excluding battery degradation cover entirely.

Close Brothers Motor Finance recently conducted a report entitled ‘Britain Under the Bonnet’, which revealed that 21 per cent of drivers would only consider buying an electric car if major technological improvements were made.

What About Hybrids?

Pure-electric vehicles are classed as completely zero emissions, while plug-in hybrids are categorised according to the number of miles they can complete using battery power alone. Category 1 hybrids are capable of 70 zero emission miles or more, category 2 vehicles can do between 10 and 69, while category 3 hybrids have a range of at least 20 miles.

The ban is clear about restricting petrol-only and diesel-only vehicles, but to achieve zero emissions by 2050, we can expect certain hybrid vehicle categories to come under investigation too.

What Does This Mean for Dealers?

Until buyers become more open to the idea of electric cars, it is unlikely that they will be a mainstream fixture anytime soon. However, with so much emphasis being placed on the importance of a zero-emissions future, dealers should definitely keep an eye open for changes in technologies or consumer perceptions, which might lead to a surge of interest in electric vehicles.

Additionally, while petrol and diesel vehicles are the main focus, dealers should be prepared for discouragement of certain plug-in hybrid categories in the future.

For more information on how Click Dealer can save your dealership time and money, get in touch today via marketing@clickdealer.co.uk, 01782 478 220 or drop us a line on our contact page.



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