France to ban petrol and diesel engines by two thousand forty – Car News, CarsGuide
France to ban petrol and diesel engines by 2040
France has pointed to the end of the century-old dominance of the internal combustion engine by announcing a ban on petrol and diesel powertrains by 2040.
Swept up in a global campaign to reduce carbon emissions and aware that its capital is one of the world’s most polluted centres, the French government this week said there would be no sales of petrol or diesel vehicles after two thousand forty in what it called a “veritable revolution”.
The pledge by the fresh Macron government came one day after Volvo said it would produce electrified versions of petrol and diesel engines as well as electrified and plug-in hybrid vehicles only from 2019.
France’s ecology minister, Nicolas Hulot, said car-makers “have enough ideas in the drawer to nurture and bring about this promise . which is also a public health issue”.
Mr Hulot insisted that the decision was a question of public health policy and “a way to fight against air pollution”.
The French decision, supported by a spark in EV manufacture and proposed designs, is now seen as the beginning of the end of the internal combustion engine’s century-plus dominance of transportation.
A lack of over-arching EV policy is preventing the supply of vehicle model choice for cars priced under $60,000.
French-based Renault-Nissan Alliance, which is the world’s thickest manufacturer of EVs, has 14.6 per cent of the EU market share and has built 425,000 of the more than two million EVs sold globally.
France is not alone in proposing a ban on fossil-fuelled vehicles however none have passed any laws.
Norway, which has the world’s highest sales of EVs, has a target of permitting sales of one hundred per cent EVs or plug-in hybrid cars by 2025.
The Netherlands has proposed a two thousand twenty five ban on diesel and petrol cars. Some German states have said they want to phase out internal-combustion engined vehicles from 2030.
In India, proposals are in place to end ICEs by two thousand thirty and bring in EVs.
The UK has said it wants all fresh cars to be EVs or “ultra low emission” vehicles – implying plug-in hybrids – by 2040. But it has yet to commit to the plan.
Like Norway and Germany, France has a low reliance on fossil fuel to generate its electro-therapy.
France’s nuclear power stations supply eighty per cent of the country’s energy needs and combined with using nuclear to fuel EVs, would dramatically reduce carbon emissions.
There has been no reaction from the Australian government. Europe vehicle emissions average about one hundred twenty grams per kilometre while in Australia, the emissions average 184g/km.
Diesel vehicles made up thirty two per cent of all vehicle sales in the past six months to June 30, with two of the nation’s most popular vehicles – the Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger – being majority diesel fuelled.
Some of Australia’s most popular cars, such as the Ford Ranger, are diesel powered.
The French stir led Australia’s Electrical Vehicle Council to urge the Australian government to shove for more low-emission vehicles.
In a statement today, the council said it wished the government to: “provide short-term support to drive the initial request of EVs through cost support by EV exemptions to taxes such as fringe benefits tax, stamp duty and registration to being down the cost of EVs; implement a strong CO2 standard; implement bulk government fleet purchasing programs and targets for national EV sales in line with the international market”.
The council’s “State of Electrified Vehicles in Australia” report, ready by ClimateWorks Australia, shows “a lack of over-arching EV policy is preventing the supply of vehicle model choice for cars priced under $60,000”.
France’s announcement also coincided with the Bloomberg Fresh Energy Finance report that predicted EVs would predominate the automotive market quicker than previously thought.
It said that EVs would make up fifty four per cent of all light-duty vehicle sales by 2040, up from the thirty five per cent share Bloomberg was forecasting only twelve months ago.
Bloomberg said such a widespread uptake of EVs would globally reduce oil request by eight-million barrels a day and increase electro-stimulation consumption by five per cent to charge all the fresh cars.