Record number of UK car buyers go ultra-low on emissions, research shows

A record number of UK car buyers are choosing ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEVs), according to research by Go Ultra Low.

The latest registration figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that more than 41% of all alternatively-fuelled cars registered in the first quarter of 2015 qualified for the Government’s plug-in car grant, up from 13% 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%. The most popular choice was the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, followed by the Nissan Leaf and BMW i3.

This period also saw a 421% increase in fleet and business ULEV volumes. 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%.

Hetal Shah, head of Go Ultra Low, a joint initiative by the 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 both private and business users, especially with the potential for fuel costs as low as 2p a mile and reduced whole life running costs.”

The latest registration figures show that 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