EU's 2035 ban exemption gives small UK sports car makers lifeline
The ICE exemption could draw buyers away from Ferraris and towards BAC, says Neill Briggs
Manufacturers building fewer than 1000 vehicles per year will be exempt from the ban on new ICE cars
The UK’s low-volume sports car industry has been given a lifeline as lawmakers confirmed they may continue to sell ICE cars in the European Union after the 2035 ban.
“This will for sure open more doors for us,” Neill Briggs, co-founder of BAC, told Autocar, and fellow firms are also buoyed by the news.
The new EU rules, officially passed last week (14 February), effectively ban sales of new ICE cars and commercial vehicles from 2035 by requiring a 100% reduction in CO2 emissions from new vehicles sold in the market.
However, manufacturers that register fewer than 1000 cars annually will be exempt from the ban. This means that some of the UK’s celebrated niche marques – BAC, Ginetta and Morgan, to name a few – will be able to continue exporting their most popular models to the continent.
*Read more: EU Parliament confirms 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel cars*
The rules won't cover the UK, due to the country's departure from the EU through Brexit.
Asked if a similar exemption would be mirrored here, a spokesperson for the Department for Transport told Autocar that a final report detailing the UK’s proposals would be published “soon” and, when pressed, didn't rule out the prospect that this could be included.
They added that the paper – reporting on a final consultation of the UK’s plan – “will take into consideration the role of small-volume manufacturers” for the “UK-specific regulations”.
Ariel founder Simon Saunders and Ariel Nomad development engineer Henry Siebert-Saunders, seemingly confirmed the news, telling Autocar the exemption “which will feed into the UK legislation”, is “very welcome and gives us more flexibility as we move towards zero emissions”.
A spokesperson for Morgan (whose Super 3 isn't affected by the change, because it's homologated as a tricycle) said: “We're in ongoing discussions with UK legislators and are hopeful there will be a positive outcome. However, it's too early to comment at this stage.”
Briggs said: “I think the [UK] government has been extremely pragmatic in its approach. They've listened.”
Not only is the EU exemption an important lifeline for the UK’s low-volume manufacturers – many of which don't have supply of electric motors from large manufacturers or the budget to produce their own – but also an opportunity, according to Briggs.
“I think there’s a huge opportunity that businesses like BAC will potentially take volume away from some of the big boys. If an electric solution for a Lamborghini, Porsche or Ferrari, for example, is perhaps not your bag and you prefer an internal-combustion-engine solution, then perhaps companies like Gordon Murray [Automotive] and BAC are going to be the places for people to go to.”
Amy Tomlinson, managing director of Ginetta, said: “Although Ginetta’s current focus within the EU is primarily on track-only racing cars, we know that a healthy appetite for low-volume British sports cars already exists in Europe and wouldn't be surprised to see it grow following this announcement.
"With these regulations setting a limit of 1000 cars per manufacturer, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the number of companies within the sector growing in years to come.”
Although petrol engines will remain the powerplants of choice for many low-volume manufacturers for the foreseeable future, many firms are continuing their investment in alternatives.
“It's my belief that there's no one golden-ticket solution,” said Briggs. “I think it's the right solution for the right job, which is the most efficient solution.”
He followed that BAC’s relationship with Ford – having used its engines for all its previous Mono models and now preparing to use a turbocharged Ecoboost unit for its next-generation car – could put it “ahead of the curve” with electrification.
Ariel duo Saunders and Siebert-Saunders warned: "if the big [OEMs] are not making internal combustion engines by 2035 there will no suitable powertrains available, particularly those at the high-performance end of the spectrum. [Although] some low-volume engine manufacturing may take place at the supercar end of the low volume industry, it’s not a viable solution for manufacturers such as ourselves."
As such, Ariel remains "committed to doing [its] bit" to reduce emissions. All the firm's vehicles – including its motorcycles – will have tailpipe emissions by 2030, said Saunders and Siebert-Saunders, with the Hipercar project informing the development of zero-emission Ariel Atom and Ariel Nomad models. "Although Ariel products are fast, fun recreational vehicles, it’s important to both us and our customers that we all do what we can to act positively in reducing global emissions."
*Read more: Ariel Hipercar review*
Regardless of powertrain choice, and indeed the exemption on selling ICE vehicles, minimising weight will be critical to the UK’s niche car industry as emissions regulations tighten.
Briggs said: “50% of global emissions is down to the manufacturing of things. The less you manufacture, the less the global emissions will be, whether that's concrete for buildings or parts for vehicles.
“We're making lighter, composite body panels [thanks to] our revolutionary graphene technology. We're using less carbonfibre in the panel, therefore it weighs less and we're producing less emissions during the manufacturing process.”
According to the US Energy Information Administration, industrial applications consume roughly 54% of the world’s total energy.
A spokesperson for Morgan said: “Morgan remains committed to producing lightweight, handcrafted, fun-to-drive and bespoke sports cars, whether they're powered by internal combustion or alternative propulsion methods. We know this is exactly what our customers want now and in the future.”