The Conservative Party has said it would scrap the UK’s planned ban on new petrol and diesel car sales if it wins the next general election, reopening a debate that many in the automotive industry thought had been settled.
The pledge was set out by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who confirmed the party would reverse the current 2030 phase-out date for new petrol and diesel cars and also remove the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which legally requires manufacturers to sell an increasing proportion of zero-emission vehicles each year.
Both measures are currently in UK law.
What the Conservatives are proposing
Under the existing framework, sales of new petrol and diesel cars are due to end in 2030, with some hybrid vehicles allowed until 2035. Alongside that sits the ZEV mandate, which ramps up annual EV sales targets for manufacturers, with financial penalties for missing them.
The Conservatives say a future Tory government would remove both.
Badenoch has argued that binding sales targets and fixed deadlines are out of step with consumer demand and risk pushing up costs for households, while placing unnecessary pressure on manufacturers operating in an already competitive global market.
The party has framed the move as restoring “choice” for buyers and flexibility for industry, rather than abandoning electrification entirely.
A policy reversal with history attached
The pledge is politically notable because the 2030 ban was originally brought forward by a Conservative government. While timelines and details have shifted over the past five years, the underlying direction of travel has enjoyed broad cross-party support until now.
That makes this less a new proposal than a clear break from the party’s own previous transport policy.
The announcement introduces renewed uncertainty for carmakers, fleets and infrastructure providers, at a time when long-term planning is critical. Product cycles, factory investment and charging roll-outs work on horizons measured in years, not election cycles.
Industry caught between policy and reality
Electric vehicle adoption in the UK continues to grow, but unevenly. Fleet demand remains strong, while private buyers are more sensitive to upfront cost, charging access and resale values.
The ZEV mandate was designed to force supply and accelerate that transition. Critics say it risks pushing vehicles into the market faster than demand can realistically absorb, while supporters argue it provides the certainty needed to unlock investment.
Removing the mandate would shift more responsibility back to market forces - but also remove one of the strongest policy levers driving EV availability and pricing.
The wider European backdrop
The UK debate is unfolding as parts of Europe also reassess the pace of their own combustion-engine phase-out plans. Several EU member states and industry groups have been pushing for greater flexibility around the 2035 deadline, citing affordability and industrial competitiveness.
Any UK divergence from European regulation could have knock-on effects for manufacturing alignment, model availability and supply chains, particularly for brands producing vehicles for multiple markets.
What happens next
The next general election must be held by 2029. Until then, the petrol and diesel ban and the ZEV mandate remain in force.
For now, the Conservatives’ pledge does not change the law - but it does put long-term UK transport policy firmly back into political contention.
For the zero-emission vehicle sector, that uncertainty may prove just as significant as the outcome itself.
