Campaign group FairFuelUK has called on the UK Government to abandon its planned 2030 ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars, arguing that the policy could impose significant economic costs while delivering limited environmental benefits.
The group’s appeal comes after the Department for Transport reaffirmed that the 2030 deadline remains in place. Under the current UK policy, sales of new pure petrol and diesel cars are due to end in 2030, while new hybrid vehicles can continue to be sold until 2035.
FairFuelUK’s campaign has gained fresh attention after the European Union moved toward a softer approach to its own planned restrictions on combustion-engine vehicles.
The European Commission proposed in December 2025 to reduce its planned 2035 zero-emission requirement from 100 percent to a 90 percent reduction in tailpipe emissions. Under the proposal, remaining emissions could be addressed through measures such as the use of low-carbon steel and sustainable fuels.
The proposal would therefore allow some combustion-engine vehicles to remain available in the EU market beyond 2035.
FairFuelUK founder Howard Cox said Britain should reconsider its approach in light of the EU changes. He claimed the UK’s 2030 policy would damage the economy without producing sufficient environmental gains and argued that consumers should not be forced into buying electric vehicles.
Cox also raised concerns about the ability of the national electricity grid to cope with increased demand from electric vehicle charging.
FairFuelUK said its own analysis suggested the economic cost of the 2030 ban could be at least five times greater than the environmental benefits it claims the policy would deliver. The group is urging ministers to reconsider the deadline, which it says affects millions of motorists, manufacturers and workers connected to the automotive sector.
The government has defended its timetable and said the transition to zero-emission vehicles is backed by substantial financial support.
The Department for Transport said more than £2.3 billion in measures would support manufacturers and consumers, while the government expects policies to encourage about £6 billion in private investment in charging infrastructure by 2030.
The 2030 deadline has also faced pressure from parts of the automotive industry, with some manufacturers calling for greater flexibility as electric vehicle demand and production conditions change.
The government has already reviewed annual electric vehicle sales requirements under the Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate, which sets minimum proportions of new vehicle sales that must be zero emission each year before 2030.
Ministers said the existing policy provides manufacturers with clarity over technology and emissions requirements after 2030.
Despite the European Commission’s proposed changes, the UK Government has given no indication that it intends to move away from its 2030 deadline for new petrol and diesel car sales.
The dispute highlights the growing divide over how quickly governments should phase out combustion-engine vehicles and how the costs of the transition should be shared among motorists, manufacturers and consumers.
