The government should ban sales of virtually all new petrol and diesel cars by 2032, a group of MPs say in a withering report that labels the current 2040 target “vague” and “unambitious”. Ministers wanted to phase out sales of “conventional” petrol and diesel cars by 2040, under a policy called the “Road to Zero”.

But moving and hardening the target will help Britain meet its climate change targets, and assist the UK industry in developing the technology it can export to the world, the business, energy and industrial strategy committee said on Friday. “Zero should mean zero,” the report stated. “We recommend that the government prioritize overarching policy goals on climate change and air quality over sectoral interests, and bring forward a clear, precise target for new sales of cars and vans to be truly zero emission by 2032. “This would put the UK in the ‘first tier’ league of nations leading the electric vehicle transition.” But the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders criticized the report, calling the target “nigh on impossible”.

Mike Hawes, chief executive, said: “This is unrealistic and rejects the evidence put forward by SMMT on behalf of the industry, which is investing billions into these technologies but which recognizes consumers need greater confidence and support if they are to buy these vehicles in the numbers we all want.” The MPs’ report highlights two issues: the need to spur public adoption of electric cars, which remains very low, and the need to develop expertise in electric technology to safeguard the 186,000 jobs in Britain’s car manufacturing industry.