With the Government’s plans to ban sales of diesel and petrol cars by 2040, new research shows that UK drivers are already worried about how the restrictions will impact them financially.
A fifth (21%) of over 18,500 drivers in an AA-Populus poll for AA Cars, are concerned their current petrol or diesel car will be worth less as a result of the government’s announcement.
The fear of how this ban will hit drivers financially is markedly more concerning for Brits than green issues, with less than one in 10 (9%) now worried about the environmental impact of their current diesel or petrol vehicle.
That’s not to say these plans haven’t resonated with drivers – in fact, one in five (17%) motorists suggested that they are now more aware of the environmental concerns around petrol and diesel vehicles.
On the other hand, two-thirds (67%) of drivers agreed that the ban is still so far off that they think it’s unlikely it will affect their choice of car for a few years yet. However, some motorists do appear to be rethinking their purchasing decisions: 8% said that they would be more likely to buy a new petrol/diesel car now in order to get ahead of the ban, although a further 10% noted that they are now less likely to purchase a new petrol or diesel vehicle following the announcement.
Similar trends can be seen in the second-hand market – one in 10 (10%) drivers said that they are more likely to buy a used petrol or diesel car than they were before the announcement, while 6% said they are now less likely to do so.