If our friends across the pond have their way, all automobiles will one day run on empty. Britain has announced plans to ban all diesel and gas-powered vehicles by 2040, following a similar move in France. The action is aimed at reducing air pollution and bringing the European nations in line with the Paris Climate Accord, from which President Trump recently withdrew the U.S.
Regardless of whether the U.S. had stayed in the Paris Climate Accord, there are many reasons why such a ban on diesel and gas vehicles is highly unlikely to ever happen on this side of the Atlantic, according to KTRH Car Pro Jerry Reynolds. For starters, the auto market in Britain is much different than ours. "They don't have near the emissions laws over there right now that we do here in the United States, so diesels are a big, big part of every car that's sold over there," he tells KTRH.
In addition, it's highly unlikely U.S. consumers would accept an all-hybrid or all-electric automobile market. "America still hasn't embraced the electric car yet, and whether they will or not remains to be seen, because the electric cars that are out there aren't selling very well," says Reynolds. "Over there, they just don't have the love affair with cars like we do here in the United States...(going all electric) is just not feasible, with the number of trucks and SUVs sold here in the United States."
While the U.S. has no designs on banning diesel or gas-powered engines, the federal government has implemented much stricter fuel efficiency standards in recent years, including a 52.5-mile-per-gallon standard by 2025. Reynolds believes that is not realistic. "Corporate fuel economy right now is the highest it's ever been, at a little over 30 miles-per-gallon, but that's a long way from 52 and a half...they're going to have to reverse that," he says. And that may happen, now that President Trump has promised more friendly policies toward the American auto industry.