The expected delay in banning new petrol and diesel cars will bring the UK into line with the European Union.

The bloc, which includes major car-making nations such as Germany, France and Spain, will ban the sale of new cars and vans that produce any carbon emissions from 2035.

That means conventionally fuelled vehicles and hybrid models will be affected.

Only brands making fewer than 1,000 vehicles a year will be exempt.

Germany struck a deal with the European Commission to permit the continued sale of vehicles that run on carbon-neutral synthetic fuels beyond 2035.

In 2019, Ireland announced a plan to ban conventionally fuelled new cars from 2030, but this is thought unlikely to be possible unless the EU changes its plan.

Research by the International Council on Clean Transportation found there is a variety of policies elsewhere in the world.

Iceland has set a date of 2030 for all cars except off-road 4×4 vehicles.

The US has not announced a countrywide ban, but several states have plans for such a move.

They include California, which will prohibit new gasoline vehicles from 2035.

There is also no nationwide policy in Australia, but the Australian Capital Territory, which includes Canberra, has banned new fossil fuel cars from 2030.

Hong Kong will allow only zero emission new cars to be sold from 2035.

Several Chinese provinces including Beijing, Guangdong, Hainan and Shanghai have announced plans to increase the market share of non-conventionally-fuelled to between 20-40% by 2030.