DRIVERS opting out of traditional company car schemes and into employee car ownership schemes are pushing up CO2 emissions, new research claims.

But those staying loyal to the traditional car provision are having the reverse effect, with average CO2 figures dropping, according to figures released by GE Commercial Finance Fleet Services.

Fleets are now being urged to encourage their personal leasing scheme drivers into more environmentally-friendly cars. The company found that that overall average carbon dioxide emission figure, measured in grammes per kilometre, is 179g/km for its fleet customers, but this has dropped to 162g/km for vehicles added in the past six months.

For public sector fleets, this trend is stronger, with an overall average figure of 157g/km and 147g/km for the last six months.

But it found that CO2 emission figures for GE-managed employee car ownership schemes showed an overall fleet figure of 200g/km, rising to 205g/km for cars chosen in the past six months. The company’s managing director Rich Green said: ‘These figures should be treated with a degree of caution because they are very much a reflection of our own customer base, but they do show very interesting trends.

‘The first finding is that Government policy appears to be working well where company cars are concerned, with average emissions figures dropping in recent months.

‘However, our experience is that there are a very high proportion of 4x4 and high performance vehicles on ECO schemes and these have much higher emissions figures.’