Petrol and diesel cars to remain on UK roads 'until 2128' despite imminent sales ban
Sales of second-hand petrol and diesel cars will continue after 2030
PA
The ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles is less than seven years away, but new data has found that they could be on roads for another 100 years.
From 2030, sales of new internal combustion engine vehicles will be banned, followed by a ban affecting hybrid vehicles in 2035.
However, new data has suggested that the last ever petrol or diesel vehicle on UK roads could be around for more than 100 years.
Using the latest data from the Department for Transport and DVLA, it has been found that the Ford Fiesta Zetec will be the last ever ICE car on UK roads.
The Ford Fiesta Zetec is expected to remain on roads for more than a century
FORD
There are still more than 372,000 Zetec models on the road, with Vanarama forecasting that they would stick around on UK roads until 2128.
The Mini Cooper, Fiat 500 Lounge and Volkswagen Golf Life TSI are all expected to last until at least 2120.
A number of the most popular models including the Mini Cooper Classic, MG ZS and Kia Sportage will also stick around well into the 2100s.
The Government has continually reaffirmed its support for the 2030 ban, citing the massive environmental benefits and growth of electric vehicles.
However, there are fears that some vehicle models could become extinct this year with just a handful left on the roads.
The Renault Laguna Dynamique IDE is thought to go extinct first, alongside 121 other ICE vehicles expected to be phased out this year.
Other popular models include the Vauxhall Astra 1.2, the Renault Clio RN 1.4 and the BMW 325d AC.
Of the first 30 cars to go extinct, six of them are expected to be Vauxhalls, three Renaults and even two BMWs.
While the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles will be restricted from 2030, there are no restrictions on selling second-hand vehicles after the deadline.
There is also an expectation that many petrol and diesel vehicles seen commonly on the road now will become future classics once electric cars dominate the roads.
It is estimated that there will be 30.4 million ICE vehicles on the road by 2027, with current trends suggesting that the complete phase-out of these vehicles coming in 104 years.
Despite this, there is expected to be an enormous drop in the number of petrol and diesel vehicles in 2035, with licenced motors potentially dropping to just 14.3 million.
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Some cars are expected to become future classics
PA
The UK has not seen fewer than 15 million cars on the road since the early 1970s, which coincided with the number of vehicle registrations soaring from that mark.