The number of electric vehicles (EV) on the roads will overtakes the number of diesel cars in 2030, according to a study by New AutoMotive.
The news comes from a report by the think-tank, called The Death of Diesel, which outlines how diesel vehicle numbers and fuel use are consistently falling nationwide.
The overall number of diesel cars on the roads has already fallen by 21% from its peak, and is continuing to fall, with London and the central belt of Scotland losing diesel vehicles the fastest.
In just a decade, there will only be about a quarter of a million diesel cars left on the roads nationwide, and, on current trends, London will be the first diesel-free city, and Scotland will be the first British diesel-free nation. 4
As a result, some filling stations in London will stop stocking diesel fuel before the end of this decade, it predicts, with by 2035, many filling stations stopping selling diesel.
Residual values for diesel vehicles have been, and will continue, to fall, which means diesel cars could become a “stranded asset” for some people.
The reduction in diesel fuel sold will also aid Britain’s energy security situation, as the country become less reliant on foreign oil. Both for environmental and energy security reasons, the fall in diesel use is hugely beneficial to the UK economy, New AutoMotive said.
At its peak in Great Britain, there were 12.4 million diesel cars on the road. As of June 2025 (last official statistics available) there were only 9.9 million: a 21% decrease, and this figure has almost certainly reduced further by some hundreds of thousands.
By 2030, there will be just over 5 million, but by 2035 numbers will have plummeted to less than a quarter of a million. The amount of diesel fuel purchased in the UK is also declining.
The think tank said “It won’t be long before the last brand new UK-registered diesel car is bought.”
Ben Nelmes, CEO, New Automotive said:
“Ending the use of diesel is essential to clean up Britain’s choking cities. The UK is now rolling out electric cars at a rapid pace, and this is great news for everyone that enjoys clean air, quieter streets and really cheap running costs.
“The UK imports billions of pounds of diesel every year, and we have been completely reliant on other countries to feed our thirst. Thankfully, we’re switching to electric cars at a rapid rate, and that will make the country cleaner and wealthier.”
“Where London leads, the rest of the UK is following. Its cleaner air and quieter streets mean that the big smoke will have to be renamed.”
Environmental expert Matt Finch said:
“We didn’t leave the stone age because we ran out of stones, and we’re leaving the diesel age because we now have a far better replacement.
“No-one is denying diesel hasn’t been useful, but it has had its day.”
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