Britain has made news after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced a five-year extension to the country’s ban on the sale of new gasoline and diesel cars and vans. The ban, which was originally scheduled for 2030, has now been pushed to 2035.

“I expect that by 2030, the vast majority of cars sold will be electric… People are already choosing electric vehicles to such an extent that we’re registering a new one every 60 seconds”, Sunak said.

“But I also think that, at least for now, it should be you the consumer that makes that choice, not government forcing you to do it.

“Because the upfront cost still is high – especially for families struggling with the cost of living – small businesses are worried about the practicalities, and we’ve got further to go to get the charging infrastructure truly nationwide,” said the Prime Minister.

After 2035, new plug-in hybrids will be permitted, and traditional combustion engine vehicles will be available but only in the used car market.

The UK prime minister said that the country is already 48% ahead of its Group of Seven (G7) allies in achieving net zero emissions by 2050, including Germany, Italy, France, Canada, Japan, and the United States.

The delay aligns with the European Union’s mandate for zero-emission new cars by 2035. The car sector has been thrown into a frenzy as a result of this decision. Manufacturers such as Kia expressed their dissatisfaction, seeing the change as a potential stumbling block in complex supply chain negotiations and product development. Toyota, on the other hand, applauds the action, describing it as a reasonable step that will help the industry and consumers during the transitional era.