The average age of cars on UK roads has reached a record high of nearly 10 years, sparking environmental fears. The milestone reflects improved vehicle quality but threatens to slow Britain's transition to electric motoring.
Research by the RAC Foundation found that cars licensed in the UK at the end of last year averaged nine years and 10 months old. This marks a significant increase from seven years and five months at the end of 2015.
Petrol cars show oldest average age
Petrol vehicles recorded the highest average age by fuel type at 10 years and four months, followed by diesels at 10 years and one month. The figures highlight how traditional combustion engines continue to dominate British roads.
In stark contrast, newer technologies show much younger fleet ages. The average plug-in hybrid was three years and four months old, while battery electric cars were typically just two years and six months old.
Two in five cars exceed decade mark
Nearly 34 million cars were licensed at the end of last year across the UK. Of these vehicles, about two in five (40.7%) were at least 10 years old, compared with 32.7% at the end of 2015.
Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said drivers are benefiting from improved vehicle durability. "On the plus side, for motorists, the design and build-quality of modern cars means they are looking good and running reliably for far longer," he said.
Rust problems now history
"The days of them rusting away before your eyes are well and truly behind us," Gooding added. He noted that even a 20-year-old car with a full service history can be "a good bet for someone seeking a bargain buy that still looks up to date".
However, Gooding acknowledged the environmental implications of the ageing fleet. "The bad news for the environment is that the overall ageing of the fleet means the replacement of fossil-fuelled cars by those with very low or zero emissions is not happening as quickly as policy-makers hoped," he said.
Massive push needed for targets
The charity warned that meeting the Climate Change Committee's 2030 emission reduction targets will require dramatic action. Without cutting the number of miles driven, Britain will need a 10-fold increase in battery electric cars from the 1.3 million on roads at the close of 2024.
"That is going to require a huge push," Gooding said, highlighting the scale of the challenge facing the Government's environmental ambitions. The research underscores the tension between vehicle longevity and environmental progress.
(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
