Classic car owners fear environmental pressure as biggest challenge before 2030 car ban

According to a new survey, published by Footman James, 49 percent of classic car owners said the main challenge they face over the next decade is the environmental pressure. Enthusiasts were also worried about the availability of suitable fuel for their vintage vehicle.

This concern was exacerbated by the change to standard petrol across the UK when E10 became the default last year.

John, a retired classic car enthusiast, owns a historic Jaguar XK140 and a Jaguar E-type.

He told Footman James, the organisation who released the report, that he was concerned about the transition to a greener transport industry.

He said: “My questions going forward are whether we’re going to be able to continue running our cars, and are they going to slump in value? 

READ MORE: UK car park that fines drivers even if they don’t park

To that end, 40 percent have used carbon offsetting in the past, while 52 percent of enthusiasts would consider contributing to a fully-vetted scheme to offset their classic’s emissions.

One way in which the classic car industry could move forward is by looking into electrification.

Many companies already offer the chance to build an electric classic to a driver’s desired specifications, as well as supplying the parts needed for people to convert their own car.

This is done by stripping the internal combustion engine and running gear and replacing it with an electric powertrain.

Around 70 percent of drivers say converted electric classics should be recognised independently on a DVLA V5C certificate, as a new class of vehicle.

To date, only modern electric vehicles are classed as an electric vehicle on the official documentation, the DVLA’s V5C form.

David Bond, Managing Director of Footman James, said: “EV conversions are dividing the classic and collector industry and our [Footman James] clients.

“With modern EVs counting for 64,000 in registrations this year alone, electric power is a small but growing sector. 

“Classic cars by their nature are increasingly restored, modified and upgraded but interestingly, from the majority of our responders, converting from the internal combustion engine to electric requires more official recognition.”