Petrol stations to axe diesel pumps in just four years as forecourts prepare to make way for electric chargers

Refuelling spots are set to ditch the maligned fuel in favour of EV chargers imminently as they seek to cash in on the massive spike in electric cars in recent years.

EV think-tank New AutoMotive has predicted that many filling stations will axe diesel altogether by 2030 as demand tanks.

The nationwide picture also spells the end of the leaded fuel.

Many of the 8,400 petrol stations in Britain will stop selling diesel by 2035 altogether.

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Experts say the major drop in diesel cars comes ahead of a proposed ban on the sale of cars that take the fuel in coming years.

Diesel does not keep well and the collapse in demand means that stocking the fuel can become very uneconomical for many petrol stations.

Ben Nelmes, chief executive of New AutoMotive, warned that diesel “does not keep well” if it isn’t sold quickly.

He told The Sun: “If fuel sits in tanks without selling at pace, it degrades.

“As diesel availability tightens, many motorists will conclude the smartest option is to avoid the headache and go electric.”

Sales of diesel has crashed 22 per cent since 2017.

And in just 10 years, there could be as few as 250,000 diesel cars left on UK roads - down from the 15.5 million counted in June 2025.

A Government spokesperson told the Sun: “We know it’s vital businesses feel supported in the transition to electric, and that’s why we’re backing industry with £7.5bn, boosting British manufacturing and supporting the jobs of the future.

“We’re also increasing sales by cutting upfront costs for drivers with our Electric Car Grant saving almost 50,000 people up to £3750 off a new electric vehicle, with 1 in 4 car sold now electric.”