UncleEbenezer wrote:It's only new ICEs that are being banned (and not before time!). And here's my thoughts from when they first announced it (shortly before the era of covid).Car industry reacts with alarm (well they would, wouldn’t they)? My first thought: this pre-empts more announcements of them reducing capacity here, and the unspoken brexit-bonus headlines: people who voted to lose their jobs, lose their jobs. Now there’s a new scapegoat. But that’s not really plausible: much more likely he wants the industry to stay. His announcement, and the industry reaction, are preparing for some big bungs of taxpayer money to bribe them to stay here and invest in re-tooling to produce electric cars.
There is effectively a creeping ban on existing ICE cars. I didn't mention my other car, a 2003 Peugeot 1600cc, which still goes well, but has a road tax of £240/year. This is so extortionate that the next time it needs a new exhaust or battery, I will scrap it, and buy a cheaper vehicle, but whose manufacture will leave a large environmental footprint.
Or my son's Golf, immaculate and goes well at 140,000 miles, except for the fact VW hobbles it because it needs a new DPF costing a lot more than the car is worth. It will soon be scrapped, and replaced by a cheaper vehicle, but whose manufacture will leave a large environmental.....you know the rest.