Photo: McLaren
Notice those two ominous-looking exhaust pipes? They’re the McLaren 720S’ means of delivering aural mayhem. By 2040, however, McLaren’s domestic market intends to ban this sort of madness as it follows in the footsteps of France’s crackdown on every type of fossil fuel-fed vehicle.
Originating from a write-up published by The Guardian that cites government sources, the United Kingdom’s commitment to addressing polluting vehicles is uncannily similar to that of France. The circumstances are all the more curious considering that post-Brexit UK took an example from one of the leading members of the European Union.
As per a government spokesman, “poor air quality is the biggest environmental risk to public health in the UK and this government is determined to take strong action in the shortest time possible.” Stop me if you head this one before, but it’s rather side-splitting how governments have only recently started to take CO2 and NOx pollution seriously, pointing out at the health risks and environmental impact of ICE vehicles.
Prior to the decision’s imminent vote into law, the United Kingdom plans to enforce a series of measures designed to tackle the worsening air quality. Retrofitting public transport (i.e. buses and taxis) with cleaner engines, re-programming traffic lights, altering speed humps, examples are plentiful and all of them can only be classified as temporary solutions.
British automakers are already bracing for 2040, with Jaguar taking a step in this direction with the imminent debut of the I-Pace electric SUV. BMW-owned MINI has confirmed an all-electric variant of the 3-door hatch for 2019, and for what it’s worth, pretty much the entire automotive industry will embrace hybridization and electrification in the near future.
When all is said and done, it’s your country’s government you have to thank for cars getting more fuel efficient with each and every year. Over in the U.S., for example, the CAFE 2025 target is a corporate average fuel economy of 54.5 mpg. Regulators aren’t too sure things will go as planned for two particular reasons: President Trump’s agenda and the SUV craze.
As per a government spokesman, “poor air quality is the biggest environmental risk to public health in the UK and this government is determined to take strong action in the shortest time possible.” Stop me if you head this one before, but it’s rather side-splitting how governments have only recently started to take CO2 and NOx pollution seriously, pointing out at the health risks and environmental impact of ICE vehicles.
Prior to the decision’s imminent vote into law, the United Kingdom plans to enforce a series of measures designed to tackle the worsening air quality. Retrofitting public transport (i.e. buses and taxis) with cleaner engines, re-programming traffic lights, altering speed humps, examples are plentiful and all of them can only be classified as temporary solutions.
British automakers are already bracing for 2040, with Jaguar taking a step in this direction with the imminent debut of the I-Pace electric SUV. BMW-owned MINI has confirmed an all-electric variant of the 3-door hatch for 2019, and for what it’s worth, pretty much the entire automotive industry will embrace hybridization and electrification in the near future.
When all is said and done, it’s your country’s government you have to thank for cars getting more fuel efficient with each and every year. Over in the U.S., for example, the CAFE 2025 target is a corporate average fuel economy of 54.5 mpg. Regulators aren’t too sure things will go as planned for two particular reasons: President Trump’s agenda and the SUV craze.
UPDATE
It's official! The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has let the cat of the bag, adding that hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric vehicles are exempt from Britain's gas and diesel car ban.Welcome start but need urgent plan to cut air pollution *now* - proper clean air zones, funded diesel scrappage, invest in public transport https://t.co/Cr4iIBvOWJ
— Caroline Lucas (@CarolineLucas) July 25, 2017
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