Denmark mulls ICE ban by 2030

Denmark is considering a ban on selling cars with an internal combustion engine (ICE) by 2030.

Danish prime minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen (pictured) wants to have more than one million electric and hybrid cars on the country's roads by that year. Despite a number of support measures, the number of such vehicles in Denmark is relatively small. One way to increase it would be to actively ban the sale of petrol and diesel cars, as the Danish PM proposed this week in Parliament. 

“I'm all for the car, but it shouldn't destroy the environment”, Mr Rasmussen said. Denmark lacks an indigenous car industry; its high vehicle taxes do give the Danish government powerful leverage to redirect sales to non-ICE motorisations. However, an earlier buying subsidy for electric vehicles was abolished, leading to the collapse of EV sales. 

Denmark's energy minister has now announced measures to reduce the purchasing price of electric vehicles. Other measures are considered to make EVs more attractive, including allowing them to use bus lanes, as is the case in Norway.