Shell CEO supports brining forward UK’s 2040 petrol ban

Chief Executive of Shell, Ben Van Beurden, said in an event that he believes the UK’s 2040 ban on petroleum and diesel car sales should be brought forward.

When asked by a member of the public at the Powering Progress Together event in London, Mr Van Beurden reportedly said that while “everyone was going to have to move quickly, the UK ought to move more quickly than most” and that it was “sensible” that the government move the 2040 target forward.

According to him, brining the date closer would provide clarity to the market and would allow companies like Shell to make better planned investment decisions.

One of the questions that raised from the debate was the speed at which countries would transition from one energy model to another. While Africa and Asia will switch to battery vehicles or other at a slower rate, the UK would benefit from a faster transition, told the executive to the Guardian.

Some advocated for electric mobility would like the UK’s target for a ban on diesel and petroleum car sales moved forward to 2030. However, the EVs still only represent 2% of car sales in the country and infrastructure remains scarce.