HYBRID cars will be allowed to remain on Britain's roads for five years longer than pure petrol or diesel cars, ministers have finally confirmed.
Drivers and motoring organisations had been urging the Government to clarify the rules around semi-electric vehicles after the rush to Net Zero was significantly accelerated.
The ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel motors was originally slated for 2030 when it was announced by then-PM Boris Johnson.
This was then pushed back to 2035, in line with the EU deadline, by Rishi Sunak last year.
However, Labour ministers have now reinstated the initial date, as promised in their election manifesto.
The announcement that the ban would boomerang back to 2030 was met with concern by the car industry, especially given the ambiguity over whether the rules would apply to petrol-powered hybrids.
Officials have now confirmed that hybrid models will be exempt from the restrictions for five years, with the UK going EV-only from 2035.
A spokesperson for the Department for Transport told : "We have always been committed to restoring the original 2030 phase-out date for the sale of new cars with pure internal combustion engines.
"The original phase-out date included the provision for some hybrid vehicle sales between 2030-35.
"We know it is important to provide certainty and stability for drivers and will set out further details in due course."
However, the future of hybrid models remains uncertain as the Government remains committed to the ZEV Mandate.
Under these rules, manufacturers have to derive a certain percentage of their sales from zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), with the threshold rising each year.
While hybrids will be allowed beyond 2030, they will not be allowed to make up more than 20% of total sales anyway thanks to the mandate.
Carmakers can be fined up to £15,000 per car they sell over that limit, so it's likely that most people will have to drive fully electric cars by the next decade either way.
The DfT is also yet to confirm which of three types of hybrid will be allowed after the general ban date.
Mild hybrids, which only use a small amount of electric power and relies mainly on petrol, are likely to be caught in ban, while plug-in hybrids look set to remain until 2035.
But self-charging hybrids face a 50/50 battle for survival in the coming months, according to reports.
The clamp down could mean trouble for several manufacturers, especially Japanese giants like Toyota, which have heavily invested in hybrids as an alternative to pure EVs.
Bosses at Ford have already said the rules are forcing them to restrict supply of petrol motors from this year as they struggle to meet the 22% ZEV quote for 2024, let alone the 80% by 2030.
