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France announces plan to ban all petrol and diesel vehicles

France’s new environment minister has announced a radical plan to ban all petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040.

Nicholas Hulot announced the move as part of President Emmanuel Macron‘s plan to make the country carbon neutral by 2050.

Mr Hulot said that he realised the target would put France’s car manufacturers under pressure – but that the companies had projects which ‘can fulfil that promise’.

The statement comes in the wake of Volvo’s announcement on Wednesday that it planned to built only electric and hybrid vehicles from 2019.

Both the Netherlands and Norway have announced plans to get rid of petrol and diesel vehicles by 202 – and Germany and India aim to do so by 2030.

Luxury Sedan, 3rd Place: 2011-2016 Volvo S60 (Road & Track)
Luxury Sedan, 3rd Place: 2011-2016 Volvo S60 (Road & Track)

Speaking at a press conference, Mr Hulot told reporters France would stop using coal to produce electricity by 2022.

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The announcements are part of a five-year-plan to encourage clean energy and fulfil the country’s commitments under the Paris Agreement.

Mr Hulot said, ‘We want to demonstrate that fighting against climate change can lead to an improvement of French people’s daily lives.’