ULEZ - need to buy a second hand car. Should I buy petrol to future proof against any future changes

johnnyboyz

Is petrol a safer bet than diesel to future proof against future tightening of the rules?
I'd like to buy a car that will last about 10 years.
I'm looking at a petrol Mondeo/insignia, 1.4/1.5 litre engine.
We need a fairly large car as we are quite tall and need decent legroom in the back.
Thanks 

born_again

Future proofing would be a EV.

Mildly_Miffed

ULEZ is based on NOx emissions.

2004 - Euro4 - petrol 0.08g/km, diesel 0.5g/km

2009 - Euro5 - petrol 0.06g/km, diesel 0.25g/km

2014 - Euro6 - petrol 0.06g/km, diesel 0.08g/km

The ULEZ cap is at 0.08g/km. Buy a new diesel today, and that's the limit it has to meet...

Euro7 is on the way, and is likely to bring diesel down to the same 0.06g/km as Euro6. It's currently due to apply from 2025, but there is pressure building up to delay it or drop it completely, remembering that new petrol-/diesel-only cars will not be on sale from 2030, and hybrids from 2035.

So, no, I don't think that the ULEZ caps will change any time soon - nor will they make any more differentiation between petrol and diesel. It's very unlikely they'll restrict to all but BRAND SPANKING NEW diesels.

It's very likely the next change will be to zero-emission zones, with electric power only, but that won't be for YEARS.

Aretnap

Mildly_Miffed said:

It's very likely the next change will be to zero-emission zones, with electric power only, but that won't be for YEARS.

A zero emission zone for Central London seems to have been seriously considered for as soon as 2025, though it's not going to be implemented then. I agree it will be a long time before it's implemented for most/all of London - probably longer than the life expectancy of any car the OP is looking at.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-66647266

Grumpy_chap

Aretnap said:

A zero emission zone for Central London seems to have been seriously considered for as soon as 2025, though it's not going to be implemented then. I agree it will be a long time before it's implemented for most/all of London - probably longer than the life expectancy of any car the OP is looking at.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-66647266

Given the current Mayor, I doubt it will be a long time at all.
At the last Mayoral elections, the plan was to expand ULEZ to the circular roads and not any further.
No sooner was that implemented than he changed his mind and only 9 months lead-in the new "all of London" ULEZ started.
A massive capital has been spent to install all those cameras.
Either that has to generate a large income from ULEZ charges, or it works as a policy and there are no fees raised so the infrastructure has to be used to generate fees some other way.

johnnyboyz

born_again said:

Future proofing would be a EV.

I should have said that an EV won't work as I need to do 4/5 hundred mile journeys once or twice a year.

WellKnownSid

johnnyboyz said:

I should have said that an EV won't work as I need to do 4/5 hundred mile journeys once or twice a year.

You can charge most EVs at the roadside these days.  If it's once or twice a year then it's probably not a problem...

MattMattMattUK

johnnyboyz said:

born_again said:

Future proofing would be a EV.

I should have said that an EV won't work as I need to do 4/5 hundred mile journeys once or twice a year.

If you drive 400-500 miles twice a one or two times a year, stopping to charge half way through that journey would not be particularly troublesome. If you got something with lower range having to stop twice, or even hiring a car on those one or two occasions would probably work out cheaper with the lower running costs of an EV vs an ICE car. 

johnnyboyz

I'm sorry I mentioned EVs now!
I don't have time to stop and charge an EV on the long journeys.. 
It would be far too expensive to hire a car for a number of weeks each time.
I don't want to spend the amount of money an EV would cost.

Bigwheels1111

johnnyboyz said:

I'm sorry I mentioned EVs now!
I don't have time to stop and charge an EV on the long journeys.. 
It would be far too expensive to hire a car for a number of weeks each time.
I don't want to spend the amount of money an EV would cost.

I have a euro 6 diesel.
So not an issue yet.
Euro 7 arrives in June or July 2025 ish.
Who knows what will change after that date.
I’m not able to go for an EV, no at home charging available.
No local, within 5 miles fast chargers.
Plus I do 4-6 600 miles round trips a year, 600 miles on the same day.

When and if I need to change my vehicle I will go for a Toyota Corolla estate.
50-60 mpg.
Most EV cars are 10k or more expensive than the same ice vehicle.
I would get over 10 years of free fuel to make up the difference.
I would try and get a 2016 euro 6 petrol, that way you should have No issues for many year to come.

Bigphil1474

OP, as the ULEZ is all about air quality, I would say that a petrol engine is a safer bet. Something less than 10 years old.