Record number of motorists opting for ULEVs

A RECORD number of UK car buyers are opting to buy ultra-low emission vehicles.

The latest registration figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show more than 41 per cent of all alternatively-fuelled cars registered in the first quarter of 2015 qualified for the government’s plug-in car grant, up from 13 per cent over the same period in 2014.

 In the first quarter of 2015, 8,573 passenger vehicles with CO₂ emissions lower than 75g/km were registered, a year-on-year increase of 386 per cent, as more drivers saw ULEVs as viable alternatives to traditionally-fuelled cars. The most popular choice was the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, followed by the Nissan LEAF and BMW i3.

Business operators are benefitting too, with a 421 per cent increase in fleet and business ULEV volumes in the quarter. Businesses running commercial vehicles also showed signs of increasing adoption of electric vans, with volumes up 263 units on January-March 2014 – a growth rate of 353 per cent.

Hetal Shah, head of Go Ultra Low, a joint initiative by government and the UK automotive industry, said: ‘The latest plug-in vehicle uptake figures prove that ultra-low emission cars and vans make sense for private and business users, especially with the potential for fuel costs as low as 2p a mile.’

Thanks to CO₂ emissions of less than 75g/km, all ULEVs are exempt from road tax. Other advantages such as typical annual fuel savings of £660 per vehicle, a nationwide network of free recharging points and no congestion charge to pay in London have helped accelerate uptake over the past five years, with more than 25,000 ULEVs now on UK roads.

The latest registration figures show car buyers in the south are most likely to opt for an ultra-low emission vehicle, followed by Londoners and the east of the country. Yorkshire and the north west complete the list of top five regions. The figures also show that car buyers in East Yorkshire are least likely to choose an ultra-low emission option.

Most popular ultra-low emissions vehicles

1. Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV
2. Nissan LEAF
3. BMW i3
4. Renault ZOE
5. BMW i8

Regions where ultra-low emissions vehicles are most popular

1. South
2. London
3. East
4. West Midlands
5. North West

Regions where ultra-low emissions vehicles are least popular

1. East Yorkshire / Lincolnshire
2. Northern Ireland
3. West
4. South East
5. East Midlands

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