Interest in alternatively fuelled vehicles has soared since the introduction of London’s ultra low emission zone in April, says Carwow.

The reviews website says searches on its website in London for AFVs have increased by 77%, compared to a 44% uplift for the rest of the UK.

Overall, since the introduction of the ULEZ, AFVs have accounted for 12% of searches in London, and 7% for the rest of the country as petrol and diesel vehicles still dominate the thoughts of potential car buyers.

Mat Watson, editorial director at Carwow.co.uk, said “Since ULEZ was introduced on April 8, drivers with cars exceeding the declared emissions criteria face a charge of £12.50 per day, costing up to £4,562.50 over the course of the year, so you can see why we have witnessed such a sharp spike in searches for AFV’s in recent weeks.

“That said, intention to buy isn’t the same as buying.

“While the interest is clearly rising, there is a lot that needs to be done to reassure drivers that not only is it the right environmental choice, but that EVs can have the same capability of petrol and diesel cars to get them where they need to go, safely and without fuss.”

A Carwow poll found 60% of UK respondents knew what ehe ULEZ is, while 32% of Londoners are currently planning to purchase an alternatively fuelled car in the near future.

This number falls to 18% for the rest of the country.

Since the start of 2019, the most searched-for alternative fuel vehicles have been:

 

Rank	Car Make	Car Model	Fuel Type
1	Toyota	RAV4	Hybrid
2	Toyota	C-HR	Hybrid
3	Nissan	Leaf	Electric
4	Volkswagen	e-Golf	Electric
5	Renault	Zoe	Electric
6	Toyota	Yaris	Hybrid
7	Kia	Niro	Hybrid
8	Jaguar	I-Pace	Electric
9	Mitsubishi	Outlander PHEV	Plug-In Hybrid
10	Honda	CR-V	Hybrid