Iconic UK car brand vows to stick with petrol engines 'post 2030' despite ban

An iconic UK-based car company has told customers that they have no plans to give up on petrol-powered models anytime soon, despite developing an all-electric model. Based in the Malvern Hills, the Morgan Motor Company is best known for its sleek coupes and sportscars that offer a unique blend of 1950s styling and modern day luxury.

While the company recently confirmed plans to create an electric sportscar at some point in the future, speaking to TopGear.com, company boss Matthew Hole highlighted that the brand will continue to make petrol cars beyond 2030. He explained: "We have an electric programme that’s running in parallel [with petrol engine development], and we see a future – not in the near future, in the longer-term future, post-2030 – where we’ll run internal combustion engines alongside EVs.

"We will put internal combustion engines into our cars for as long as we possibly can. That’s the DNA of our cars and it’s what our customers want."

While the Government recently brought the ban on new petrol and diesel cars back forward to 2030, current legislation states that small scale vehicle manufacturers will still be able to produce new petrol and diesel models.

The measure was put in place to prevent smaller UK-based companies, including Morgan, who may not have the budget to develop and produce an electric powertrain within the five-year window.

Nevertheless, the petrol and diesel engines that feature in these models will still come under stringent emissions legislation, meaning many companies will likely need to begin development work soon or partner with a larger brand who could supply clean and modern designs.

The announcement comes at a positive time for the brand, which recently unveiled its latest flagship model, the Supersport. Despite featuring the brand's timeless front end, the latest model has a drastically restyled rear with a much larger rear window and small yet practical boot.

The model will also come equipped with a 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine sourced from BMW, which the company claims is particularly clean and, mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox, will accelerate from 0-60mph in less than four seconds.

Whilst Matthew noted that he would like to see a V8 engine fitted in the new model, which is available to order from £102,000, the cost and time required in implementing the engine would make it incredibly unlikely.