Gasoline powered cars face expedited ban in UK, Quebec

As calls grow louder for a “green recovery” from the coronavirus pandemic that has not only ravaged public health, but world economies, nations are pulling forward timelines for previously mulled measures. On deck is a ban on the sale of new cars powered by an internal-combustion engine in 2030 in the UK, brought forward by 10 years now since the government first looked at the policy.

The Guardian reported this past weekend on the inner workings of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government and said an announcement of the 2030 ban is expected to come soon. The province of Quebec, Canada, will also move to enact a similar ban come 2035 — a year that mirrors California’s timetable. 

The announcements came swiftly as governments looked at how to reboot the economy amid the pandemic this year, and calls grew louder to tackle climate change head-on. The UK previously put forth a plan to become carbon-neutral by 2035, and EVs will play an important part in the changes. Meanwhile Canada’s second largest province presented a goal to reduce its emissions by 37.5% compared to 1990 levels. The province of British Columbia previously announced its own ban on the traditional engine coming by 2040.

To be clear, the bans will not forbid the sale of used cars that run on fossil fuels, but the regulations are a large part why automakers have shifted to EVs. As the regulations tighten, companies aim to adapt of face massive fines in various parts of the country. And although the Trump administration eased fuel economy and emissions requirements in the US, automakers still need to play by California’s rules, which a dozen other states follow. The state also leads 22 others in a lawsuit against the current administration in its attempts to revoke its waiver ability to set its own standards.