Many people looking to update their family car will now consider the environmental impact of their car choice, as well as thinking about costs and performance. The range of eco cars available to buy is increasing almost daily, as almost every new car manufacturers develop have better mileage and lower CO2 emissions.
It used to be that the eco car was not equal to conventional cars in terms of performance; however that has changed a lot recently. Hybrid cars have increased in popularity in recent years as they tick a lot of boxes for the average family driver who has a green conscience. Not only do they burn less fuel than a conventional car, but there is none of the ‘range anxiety’ associated with electric vehicles (EVs) – as you can always top up the tank at a petrol station. Electric cars feel a little more restricted as they have a limited range before the battery will need recharging. However, this technology has improved, with more powerful batteries providing bigger EV ranges and taking less time to recharge. The government has also made funding available to increase the public charging point infrastructure to encourage more drivers to go electric.
If you are looking for a saloon car that is green, there are a number of choices available. One of the most popular is the Toyota Prius, which has a combined mileage of 72.4mpg and CO2 emissions of 89g/km. Similarly, the Volvo S40 DRIVe (diesel) gets 74.3 mpg and has emissions of 99g/km of CO2.
The thing to remember with diesels is that they can look more eco-friendly than they actually are based on the fuel economy and CO2 emissions statistics. Diesels still emit more NOx and CO than their petrol and hybrid equivalents.
