The government has pledged to make almost every vehicle sold in the UK a zero emissions vehicle by 2050.
Ministers signed an international agreement alongside 13 other countries including Germany, Holland and Norway at the International Zero-Emission Vehicle Alliance conference in Paris.
As part of the pledge, the government is planning to spend more than £600 million in the next five years to support the manufacture and uptake of ultra-low emissions vehicles in the UK.
Following that, all countries that signed the agreement will aim to dramatically reduce their vehicle emissions in the next three decades as part of an international push to combat climate change.
Currently, vehicle manufacturers in the UK are increasingly turning their attentions towards electric and hydrogen-powered cars as motorists ditch traditional petrol and diesel cars for greener models.
However, according to the RAC’s Report on Motoring 2015, it’s not the reduced impact on the environment that’s swaying buyers’ decisions, but rather lower running costs.
According to the motoring body’s report, a fifth of drivers the RAC surveyed said that they could consider buying either a hybrid or all-electric car, with half of those saying costs were a main factor.
However, Philippa Oldham of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers said that greater research and development spending is needed to lower costs and to increase infrastructure for low-emission cars.
