It’s not only the environmental benefits that are leading the UK’s change to lower emissions. By 2021, the UK has to meet the target of an average of 95grams of CO2 per kilometre set by the EU. The target represents a 40 per cent reduction on the 2007 average of 158.7g/km.
The annual SMMT New Car CO2 Report 2017 shows that for the 19th consecutive year, 2016 saw the UK automotive industry beat CO2 targets. Carbon emissions fell to an all-time low and averaged 120.1g/km, a 1.1 per cent drop on the previous year.
The reduction has been attributed to the billions of pounds spent in developing new engine, fuel and battery technology. Although progress, the drop isn’t as substantial as the previous three years (2.6, 2.9 and 3.6 per cent).
The emission decline is also down to the growing alternatively fuelled vehicle market of diesel, hybrid and electric. The Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership is concerned and suggests finding more “innovative ways to encourage even lower CO2 cars to be taken up in the mass market” to reduce the UK’s average.
To reach the target, the UK requires a 20.9 per cent cut in CO2 emissions over the next five years, 4.6 per cent each year.
The growth in the popularity of car hire and leasing is also responsible for the reduction in CO2 emissions. More people are deciding to lease cars, because of the availability of new low-emission vehicles. The average leased car added to fleets in 2016 emitted 110.8g/km CO2.
Green Motion invest in the latest green vehicle technology to provide a range of low emission vehicles for customers. By doing so, we have been able to reduce our worldwide fleet’s average CO2 emissions to just 99g/km – considerably lower than the UK average.
We have 25 branches across the UK and have the lowest CO2 emission average car hire of any like-for-like competitor. For more information about the range of vehicles available at a branch close to you or a destination that you’re visiting, call 0116 243 7676 today.