The executive chairman of British luxury carmaker Aston Martin, Lawrence Stroll, has announced the company's intention to continue production of pure internal combustion engine cars after the UK ban on sales comes into force in 2030.
Aston Martin Vantage. Credit: Aston Martin
Aston Martin Vantage. Credit: Aston Martin
The new rules state that every new vehicle sold in the UK from 2040 must be electric or a form of hybrid, but Aston Martin says it will continue to produce gasoline-powered cars to cater for "petrolheads" around the world.
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Speaking at the FT Future of the Car Summit, Stroll said there were "always going to be enthusiasts who want a combustion engine."
"I don't see it ever going away to zero," he added.
Aston Martin will introduce electric and hybrid vehicles by the middle of the decade, but around 5% of its output will be petrol-powered by 2030.
The company is one of the few bucking the trend amongst carmakers, most of whom have already made plans to begin the phasing out of traditional combustion engines to meet new regulatory requirements.
Stroll said that plug-in hybrids would account for around half of the company's output by 2024.
He added that despite any potential trade challenges arising after Brexit, the company would never leave the UK.
"Aston Martin has to stay in the UK, it's such a big part of its DNA," he said.
Read more: UK to ban all sales of diesel and petrol vehicles by 2030
Mr Stroll has been seeking to revitalise the company, which has seen its value shrink since an initial; public offering in 2018.
Earlier this year, he spearheaded a £540 million (€592 million) rescue deal for the iconic carmaker.
He also said that he was aiming to restore the brand's luxury credentials, which will only become more important when most cars are battery-powered.
"The differentiator will be the brand," he said, "brands will become critical when we get into the electric."
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