All new heavy goods vehicles (HGV) in the United Kingdom (UK) will be zero-emission by 2040, the UK government has confirmed today (10 November 2021). This, combined with the UK’s 2030 phase out for petrol and diesel cars and vans, represents a world-leading pledge to end the sale of all polluting road vehicles within the next 2 decades.
The UK will become the first country in the world to commit to phasing out new, non-zero emission heavy goods vehicles weighing 26 tonnes and under by 2035, with all new HGVs sold in the UK to be zero-emission by 2040.
This comes as new research from Bloomberg New Energy Finance, commissioned by the UK COP Presidency and published today, shows the progress made in the passenger vehicle market – 31% of the global passenger vehicle market is now covered by vehicle manufacturer commitments to end sales of fossil-fuel-powered vehicles, up from a near-zero share of the market at the start of 2021; global sales of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) have grown dramatically since 2019 from 2.1 million to 5.3 million; ZEVs are forecast to be 70% of all new car sales in 2040, with this projection having doubled in the last 5 years; 19% of 2020 passenger vehicles sales were in countries that now have an internal combustion engine (ICE) phase-out date, up from 5% in 2019.
A group of ministers and industry leaders committed to working towards 100% zero-emission new car and van sales by 2040 or earlier met at Transport Day at COP26. Thirty-four countries, 6 major vehicle manufacturers (GM, Ford, Mercedes, BYD, Volvo, JLR), 41 cities, states and regions, 28 fleets and 13 investors all jointly set out their determination for all new car and van sales to be zero-emission by 2040 globally and 2035 in leading markets.
In this group, companies like Sainsbury’s and countries including El Salvador and New Zealand are today making new commitments to 100% zero-emission vehicles. They follow proposals made by the EU, Chile, Canada and a number of US states this year to ensure all new cars are zero-emission by 2035. Also announced today, a number of emerging markets and developing economies have committed to work to accelerate the adoption of zero-emission vehicles in their markets, including India, Ghana, Kenya, Paraguay, Rwanda and Turkey.
The UK government is also unveiling a new design for electric vehicle charge points, which could become as iconic as the Great British post box, London bus or black cab. Showcased in the UK Pavilion at COP26 and designed together with the Royal College of Art and PA Consulting, the concept prioritises inclusivity and ease of use, designed with consumers, local government, accessibility groups and industry.
Source: UK Government
