guest post by Select Car Leasing

The UK government recently announced a plan to ban the sale of petrol and diesel engine cars from 2040, amid fears that rising levels of nitrogen oxide are posing a major risk to public health. The UK government claims that the ban must take place due to the unnecessary and avoidable impact that poor air quality is having on the general public’s health. Although over the past 15 years, government data shows that the UK has made huge steps towards improving air quality, it is felt that the only way to improve the issue and keep it at bay is to ban the worst generators of this pollutant for good. 

Nitrogen oxide reacts in the atmosphere to form Nitrogen dioxide, which causes adverse effects on health.  Studies show that long term exposure to Nitrogen dioxide can have many serious health issues to the public, such as decreasing lung function, increased risk of respiratory conditions and increased response to allergens. As Nitrogen dioxide is in the atmosphere around us, it is impossible to avoid breathing it in. Therefore, the negative health effects will only continue if nothing is done to improve the atmospheric conditions.

Not only is this having deleterious effects on the public’s health, the environment is also struggling to cope with higher levels of this pollutant in the atmosphere. The emissions produced by petrol and diesel vehicles are reacting within the atmosphere in incredibly harmful ways, such as the formation of acid rain, smog and ground-level ozone formation to the environment; affecting not only us but also our plants and crops. 

The UK government hopes that the ban of petrol and diesel engine cars will lead to a switch to electric vehicles and an increase in the use of other forms of public, less harmful transport. It anticipates that developments within the technology surrounding electric vehicles during the run up to 2040 will allow this switch to become easier and more convenient for the general public. Improvements are already in progress: the prices of electric vehicles will likely continue decrease as these kinds of vehicles become more popular over time goes on, and ultra-fast charging is expected to be rolled out this year, allowing for longer distances on less charge.

Select Car Leasing have looked into the road leading to 2040 to see why this is happening and if the UK will be ready for the switch. The infographic below reveals the results of their findings.

Select Car Leasing are regarded as one of the UK's leading independent specialists for car and van leasing. Established in 2004, they have now supplied lease vehicles for over 10 years to thousands of satisfied customers.

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