The Government has pledged a new phase of collaboration with the automotive and charging sectors in its consultation on phasing out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030.

The consultation seeks views on how to deliver the Labour manifesto commitment to restore the 2030 phase-out date for ICE cars

The consultation, which opened on Christmas Eve and runs until mid-February, seeks views on delivering the commitment to end the sale of new cars powered solely by internal combustion engines by 2030.

While the consultation launched after months of warnings from carmakers of “irreversible damage” from the EV rules, Labour has stressed that work will explore “how, not if” the UK meets the 2030 petrol and diesel car phase-out reinstated following its election win, and that the consultation seeks views on potential adjustments to the “UK’s largest carbon-saving measure”.

Now, in a written statement to Parliament, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has said that the Government will “support and work together with industry to grasp the opportunities of this ambitious and transformative shift – ensuring the prosperity and security of our nation, with higher growth, better jobs and cheaper bills”.

Alexander said the previous government had “caused significant harm to the industry by moving goalposts on phase-out dates, creating doubt in the minds of investors and boardrooms and putting at risk the billions of pounds of committed investment in the automotive sector and in the charge point sector”.

She also said that the transition to zero-emission vehicles was “not just an environmental necessity but an opportunity for the UK to lead in cutting-edge technologies”.

The new plans are intended to “restore clarity for manufacturers, provide renewed confidence for charging infrastructure investors and give confidence to consumers considering making the switch” and emphasise that no new petrol or diesel cars will be sold after 2030 and that all new cars and vans will need to be 100% zero emission by 2035.

The consultation commits to maintaining the trajectories in the ZEV mandate – for 2025, this requires 28% of new car sales to be ZEV – while also considering how the current arrangements and flexibilities are working and what steps can be taken to support domestic manufacturing and “cement the UK’s position as one of the major European markets for zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs)”.

It also looks at stakeholders’ preferences on technology choices and the types of vehicles permitted between 2030 and 2035 alongside ZEVs.

To restore the phase-out date of 2030 for new cars with only internal combustion engines, the Government says a definition is needed to ensure that new cars powered solely by petrol or diesel, and that do not have any form of electrification or energy recovery as part of the drivetrain, are explicitly ruled out.

It’s set out three broad approaches that could be used to enact the phase-out of ICE-only cars from 2030. These include a technological definition, vehicle level CO2 cap or a non-ZEV fleet average CO2 cap. These could be used alone or combined, and all of them have different considerations.

The consultation also looks at potential requirements for new non-zero emission vans to be sold from 2030 to 2035, a consideration of approach for small volume manufacturers and further support measures to help make the transition a success; potentially including new grants.

Alongside the consultation, the Government has also pledged support to help continue the rollout of charging infrastructure right across the country. New measures include simplifying planning rules, publishing the Government’s review to speed up grid connections, and continuing to provide resource funding for local councils up and down the country.

The consultation period runs until 18 February. Following this, the Government will engage with stakeholders to discuss the issues raised, including hosting a series of workshops, roundtables and bilateral discussions. Full details are here.