Denmark Plans to Ban Fossil Fuel Car Sales by 2030

author: Vineeth Joel Patel   

Numerous countries and cities have resorted to banning gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles outright in an attempt to curb air pollution. The latest country to join the movement is Denmark, which has proposed a ban on the sale of new fossil fuel powered vehicles by 2030. 

Hybrids Won't Be Safe From The Ban Either

While banning gasoline-powered cars is something we've heard about before, Denmark wants to take it one step further by banning hybrid vehicles, as well. Those vehicles, though, won't be banned until 2035. The decision to ban vehicles with combustion engines is to reduce air pollution and help combat climate change. Denmark's Prime Minister, Lars Lokke Rasmussen, told parliament that the goal is to have 1 million electric or hybrid vehicles on the road by 2030. 

"It is a big ambition that will be hard to achieve," Rasmussen told parliament on Tuesday reports Reuters. "But that's exactly why we need to try." Parliament will have to approve the plan before it becomes a law, and the plan will be presented to the form of government sometime next week. 

"I'm all for cars, but they shouldn't ruin the environment," Rasmussen told reporters, including Bloomberg. Denmark may not have its own automotive industry, but the Prime Minister still believes that the Nordic country can work alongside other European nations to put pressure on auto manufacturers to develop more fuel-efficient cars claims the outlet. 

The Ban Is Just The First Step

In addition to the ban, Denmark also has plans to make electrified vehicles more attractive with cheaper prices. Bloomberg claims that the Energy Minister, Lars Christian Lilleholt, told the government that Denmark would come out with a proposal to help make electric vehicles more affordable via a wide-reaching climate policy. 

While one would think than an outright ban on everything but electric cars and more affordable prices would be enough to have consumers make the switch to EVs, Denmark will continue to sweeten the pot by giving electric cars owners access to drive in bus lanes.  

"It is a big ambition that will be hard to achieve. But that's exactly why we need to try," said Rasmussen. 

If the proposal goes through, Denmark will join Britain and France, which have both pledged to ban new gasoline- and diesel-powered cars by 2040. Just like Denmark, Britain and France are concerned with air pollution. The situation in Britain, specifically London, is so bad, that the city is considering a ban on non-electrified cars before the country's larger plan goes into effect in 2040. 

The adoption of electric vehicles is a good way to help improve air quality, but electrified-vehicles haven't fared to well in Denmark recently. Last year, the sales of EVs in the country fell by 60.5 percent in the first quarter compared with figures from 2016. The decrease in popularity can most likely can be traced to the country's plan to eliminate tax breaks by 2020. 

Vineeth Joel Patel

Joel Patel has been covering all aspects of the automotive industry for four years as an editor and freelance writer for various websites. When it comes to cars, he enjoys covering the merger between technology and cars. In his spare time, Joel likes to watch baseball, work on his car, and try new foods