The Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) has urged the Government to consult the automotive aftermarket on its Net Zero plans, after the banning of new petrol and diesel-powered vehicle sales was delayed to 2035.
In September, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in the UK was being pushed back from 2030 to 2035, while saying he still expected that by 2030 most new cars would still be electric due to advancements in technology and manufacturer investment.
IAAF says the five-year delay to the ban of internal combustion engine (ICE)-powered vehicle sales risks public enthusiasm for the Government’s Net Zero agenda, but that the implications on the aftermarket industry have not been fully considered as plans change.
As part of the Federation’s intensive lobbying activity, IAAF discussed with the Minister of State for Transport that the Government’s strategy remains zero exhaust emissions, but it was also confirmed that the ability to continue to use second hand vehicles that have internal combustion engines is also part of their strategy. IAAF has also suggested that future powertrain technology has not been fully considered amongst the discussion on banning new petrol and diesel vehicle sales, with hydrogen fuel cell technology also a viable option in the pursuit of a practical and pragmatic Net Zero solution.
Mark Field, chief executive of IAAF, said: “IAAF is calling on the government to listen to the concerns of the automotive aftermarket and allow it to play a greater role in the consultations on Net Zero. The aftermarket industry is the leading provider of service, maintenance, and repair of the 34 million vehicles on UK roads, so it needs to be part of the discussion.
“Much has been made of the country’s triumphant road to an alternative-fuelled future, but the aftermarket, as the pinnacle of a circular economy that has been gearing up for a very diverse set of vehicles arriving on its shores for some time, yet again faces the goalposts being moved with little consultation.
“Everyone wants to do the right thing on climate change, but they don’t want to be unfairly penalised and faced with changing their mode of transport to a more expensive alternative at a time when the cost of living is so high,” Field adds.
“The issue is that without certainty and regular consultation, the automotive industry cannot appropriately plan for the future, whether that’s powered by petrol and diesel, electricity, or another alternative fuel. The delay proves that 2030 was simply a target, and in order to realistically achieve this then more discussion with the experts in service, maintenance and repair needs to happen.”
As an independent trade body, IAAF advocates for the needs of the aftermarket supply chain including retained access to vehicle repair information, to ensure suppliers are on a level playing field with vehicle manufacturers, and earlier in the year campaigned for retention of the annual MOT.
