Diesel Cars Continue to Disappear from UK Roads
The number of new diesel models on the market is nearing an all-time low as manufacturers look to switch to electric vehicles so drivers can meet Ulez requirements. New research has found that the choice of diesel models available from the UK’s top 30 manufacturers has declined by 68 per cent compared to 2015.
There are just 65 new diesel models available in 2024 as major manufacturers continue to look at ways to minimise their emissions output and boost the number of electric vehicles.
In 2015, car registration data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) found that diesel models have a market share of 48.5 per cent.
In comparison, diesel registrations are less than 100,000 (year-to-date) – representing a market share of just 6.4 per cent.
New petrol registrations represent 53.8 per cent of the 2024 market share, while battery electric vehicles continue to surge to a share of 17.8 per cent.
Nine years ago, only two automakers – Lexus and Smart – did not offer a diesel model. This has since risen to 14 manufacturers including Vauxhall, Nissan and Fiat.
Many have suggested that this is down to the introduction of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone and the spread of Clean Air Zones and Low Emission Zones around the UK.
When driving inside the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez), drivers are required to meet Euro 6 emissions standards, which generally impact cars registered after September 2015.
Drivers can face expensive costs when driving in these zones every day as local authorities monitor ways to remove polluting vehicles from roads.
Chris Knapman, editorial director at CarGurus UK, said that while the amount of new diesel vehicles has fallen in recent years, others prefer to use these vehicles thanks to their superior fuel economy.
He added: “The good news is that there is still a huge selection of diesel vehicles on the used market, including plenty that are equipped with technology to make them Ulez compliant. To make it easy for shoppers to find these vehicles, CarGurus has created a pre-filtered search page for listings of Ulez-compliant diesels.”
Data found that the diesel-powered Citroen C4 small hatchback had seen the largest year-on-year reduction in price with a 30.2 per cent drop.
The C4 now has an average list price of £12,816, almost £6,000 cheaper than the same time last year. Knapman noted how the “middle-of-the-road” offering has “better value than ever”.
Similarly, the Vauxhall Insignia could see motorists save more than £2,000 compared to last year as prices continue to fall for the large hatchback.
