With the rise of renewable energy and the popularity surrounding sustainable goals, several countries across the world have laid out ambitious plans to eliminate fossil fuel-powered automobiles. Currently, the automotive industry is believed to contribute around 24% of global CO2 emissions, according to Johann Wiebe, Thomson Reuters. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by adopting sustainable modes of transportation promises to be an effective strategy to address climate change. To prevent the worst effects of climate change, the 2015 Paris Agreement set a deadline of 100 million electric vehicles (EVs) on roads globally by 2030 and capped the rise in global temperatures above pre-industrial levels at 1.5°C. Several of the world’s largest economies have set phase-out targets for internal combustion engine vehicles and supporting schemes to accelerate the electrification of transport. Some have already introduced a ban on new petrol and diesel cars by 2030-2040. Norway has outlined the most ambitious targets, banning the sales of non-emission vehicles by 2025. Others, such as India, the Netherlands, Sweden and the UK have proposed a 2030 target, while China, the world’s largest car market, is actively considering and studying a ban.
With deadlines to phase out internal combustion-engine vehicles being outlined all across the world, here is a list of various countries that are leading the way in banning the sales of petrol and diesel cars.
Norway
By 2025, Norway is aiming to completely ban the sale of all new petrol and diesel cars. The country has introduced a ‘polluter pays’ tax system to discourage the sale of new petrol or diesel cars.
Austria
Austria is working on plans to phase out registrations of new combustion-engine vehicles by 2027.
Germany
Germany’s Bundesrat federal council announced plans to ban fossil fuel powered vehicles by 2030 in October 2016. Germany is planning to reduce its CO2 emissions by 95% by 2050, hoping that the adoption of EVs will help the country reach the set target.
United Kingdom
In 2019, the United Kingdom became the first G7 country to set a net zero emission target by 2050. Earlier this year, the country announced a ban on the sale of new combustion-engine vehicles by 2030, a decade earlier than its previous commitment. The new deadline is part of the country's 10-point "green industrial revolution" plan.
United States
The United States would ban the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2030 as part of the ‘Clean Cars 2030' bill which targets all passenger vehicles of the model year 2030 or later to be electric.
Iceland
Iceland will ban the registration of new fossil fuel vehicles by 2030 to boost efforts to meet its Paris Agreement targets and reach the government‘s ambitious aim to make Iceland carbon neutral before 2040.
Denmark
Denmark will ban the sale of new combustion-engine cars by 2030 and aims to have at least 775,000 electric or hybrid cars on the country's roads by then to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70%.
Netherlands
The Netherlands government announced the sale of 100% emissions-free new vehicles by 2030 in its Climate Agreement in June 2019. Measures to achieve the target include the accelerated roll-out of charging infrastructure and tax incentives.
Ireland
The Irish government plans to ban the sale of new fossil-fuel vehicles by 2030, as part of its Climate Action Plan to protect the environment.
India
India is aiming to completely phase out petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030 and is actively considering a ban on gas-powered 2- and 3-wheeled vehicles by 2025.
Japan
Japan is planning to end sales of new petrol and diesel vehicles by mid 2030.
Sweden
Sweden will ban the sale of all petrol and diesel cars by 2030.
Slovenia
The Slovenian government has announced plans to ban the registration of new diesel and petrol cars by 2030.
Portugal
According to a draft climate framework bill, Portugal's ruling Socialist party is proposing a ban on the sale of fossil fuel-powered light vehicles by 2035 and the end of fossil fuel tax benefits by 2030.
Thailand
Thailand is planning to sell only zero-emission vehicles in the country by 2035. According to the government plan, Thailand wants 50% of all new car registrations by the end of the decade to be for electric cars, and a full 100% just 5 years after that.
South Korea
South Korea is contemplating to phase out combustion engine cars by 2035 to tackle climate change.
China
China plans to phase out gasoline-powered cars by the year 2035. As per China’s road map for the shift to clean vehicles, half of China’s total car sales in 2035 will be “new-energy” vehicles, while the other half will be hybrids.
France
The French government has announced that it will ban the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2040, including hybrids, as part of the country's efforts toward meeting the emission reduction targets of the Paris climate accord. This forms part of the country’s goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2050.
Egypt
Egypt is aiming to have only electric vehicles by 2040.
Spain
The Spanish Government is aiming to prohibit the sale of fossil-fuel vehicles by 2040. It would be illegal to produce new fossil-fuel vehicles in the country from the start of 2043.
Taiwan
Taiwan will outlaw the sales of new non-electric vehicles by 2040 as part of the country’s goal to become climate neutral by 2050.
Singapore
Singapore aims to ban petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040 as part of its efforts to cut greenhouse gases and fight climate change.
Costa Rica
In 2018, Costa Rica became the first country in the world to ban fossil fuel cars. The country aims to sell only zero-emission vehicles by 2050.
The long list of countries aiming to ban internal combustion-engine vehicles will help in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and accelerating the transition to cleaner alternatives, in line with the Paris Agreement targets. To promote broader adoption of EVs, governments across the world are encouraging automobile companies to come up with low-emission alternatives by offering more incentives & policies such as financial grants, technology support or charging infrastructure. The transition to electric mobility promises a bright and environmentally-friendly future ahead.
