Drivers Warned: Petrol and Diesel Rule Changes Could Trigger Soaring Used Car Prices
The UK’s upcoming 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel cars is expected to cause a surge in demand—and prices—for second-hand combustion vehicles, as drivers look to secure reliable models before the transition to electric becomes mandatory.
Motor industry experts are warning motorists to brace for a shift in the used car market. Jeff Wong, Used Car Controller at Porsche Centre Bristol, said demand for traditional petrol vehicles is already intensifying: “That’s why I’m trying to snap up as many petrol cars as possible. I know they’re going to be shooting up in value.”
He pointed in particular to models like the Porsche Macan, which have long been bestsellers and are now being phased into electric production. “People are asking crazy figures for these in the private market,” he added.
With new car production focused increasingly on electric vehicles, the shrinking supply of petrol and diesel cars is making internal combustion models a hot commodity. Wong predicted: “I can definitely see them rocketing up in the future.”
According to figures from 2024, over 188,000 used electric vehicles were sold—13 times the volume recorded in 2019—while plug-in hybrid sales rose 32.2% to over 92,000, and hybrids climbed by 39.3% to more than 306,000.
James Hosking, Managing Director of AA Cars, said the influx of EVs and hybrids onto the second-hand market is giving buyers greater choice—but is also pushing many toward petrol models while they’re still widely available.
The UK government’s 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel vehicles aims to accelerate the transition to net-zero, but it may have the unintended effect of turning used fuel-powered cars into high-demand assets in the years ahead.
