New hybrid cars are likely to remain on sale as part of the reinstated 2030 ICE phase-out, the Government has said.

The upcoming consultation is expected to explore what types of hybrids could remain on sale

Ministers had already confirmed that Labour would stick to its manifesto pledge to restore the 2030 ban for new petrol and diesel cars, and have now clarified that the upcoming consultation will seek views on hybrids.

The announcement follows a report in The Telegraph over the weekend that the Government intended to “back away” from a total ban in 2030.

The Department for Transport confirmed that plans for hybrids would be explored in the upcoming consultation and denied that it was backtracking.

A DfT spokesperson said: “This government’s policy has always been to revert to the original 2030 phase-out date for the sale of new vehicles with pure internal combustion engines.

“The original phase-out date included the provision for some hybrid vehicle sales between 2030 and 35. We know it is important to provide certainty and stability for drivers and will set out further details in due course.”

Media reports claim that Labour’s language had originally implied hybrids would be banned from 2030.

But the manifesto document had talked about “giving certainty to manufacturers by restoring the phase-out date of 2030 for new cars with internal combustion engines”.

And Labour’s October 2023 automotive sector plan that predated the manifesto claim only refers to a 2030 “phase-out”.

The BVRLA also recently said that it had received confirmation that the Government remains committed to phasing out new cars that rely solely on internal combustion engines by 2030 and that the Government had already said the upcoming consultation would look into hybrid specifications.

Keeping hybrids on the bill from 2030 until 2035 would also support the current ZEV mandate, which sets out an overall target for carmakers to have 80% zero-emission vehicle sales by the end of this decade, ahead of a 100% target by 2035.

The upcoming consultation is expected to explore what types of hybrids could remain on sale.

Although mild hybrids – which use a small electric motor to provide light assistance while accelerating – have been talked about in media reports, the previous 2030 ICE phase-out under the Conservatives stipulated that new vehicles could only be sold if they have the capability to drive a significant distance with zero emissions – including plug-in hybrids and full hybrids but excluding mild hybrids.

The BVRLA expects a formal consultation process to open in late September or early October.

The rental and leasing industry body has said there “is a desire within government to have the consultation complete and changes confirmed before the end of 2024, giving a tight window for everything to take place”.

Latest new car registration figures for the UK show that hybrids now play a dominant role. For the first eight months of the year, more than one in seven new cars (13.8%) were full hybrids, while 8.1% were plug-in hybrids. That compares to a 17.2% share for fully electric cars, 54.4% for petrols and 6.5% for diesel – the latter two both including mild hybrids.