12:00 pm, December 8, 2020
Car buyers are becoming more conscious of emissions – and one dealer group has found that addressing this influenced four in five to go ahead with a purchase.
The announcement from the government that the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars will be brought forward to 2030 has put increased focus on fuel type for many customers.
Dealers are being warned to act now and ’embrace the challenges of petrol and diesels’ before the 2030 ban hits, using it as a point of differentiation rather than a problem.
Car Dealer has already reported a surge in interest in electric vehicles, but carbon offsetting service iOffset says petrol and diesel aren’t going anywhere fast.
The company launched in July and has already reported a positive response from customers who say they were influenced to buy because of their new car’s emissions being offset.
It allows individuals or businesses to offset the emissions of their vehicles and lifestyle – something car dealership Motordepot is offering for 12 months on all of the cars that it sells.
A survey by the car supermarket, of which there were 234 respondents, found that 83 per cent of of customers in September and October said knowing their emissions would be offset significantly influenced their purchase decision.
Founder of iOffset Mark Hammond told Car Dealer many customers weren’t currently in a position to buy an electric car but they still wanted to reduce their carbon footprint.
He said: ‘I, like many people in the UK, would fall into the category of wanting an electric vehicle but it not being a viable or affordable option for me yet.
‘This can be the next best option.’
He added: ‘We will have petrol and diesel cars on the road for years to come, and probably at least a decade after the 2030 ban, but we need to do something to reduce carbon emissions.’
Hammond previously worked in the automotive industry, spending 12 years at Cox Automotive and 10 of those were with Motors.co.uk
iOffset now allows many companies to offset their carbon emissions for as little as £3 for six months of driving.
Hammond added: ‘If every car retailer did this, it would make a huge difference.
‘This is an opportunity for car dealers to embrace and address the challenges of petrol and diesel, while also giving them a point of differentiation.’
- Register as a Car Dealer member and get more out of the website here
- Car Dealer Mag issue 153 is out now – Read it here
- Join our breaking news WhatsApp group – Click here to join now
