If you’re looking for a new car but want to be sure that it’s eco-friendly, that’s no problem. By going green, you can find the car that’s right for you without sacrificing your environmental concerns.
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Cost-effectiveness
Eco-friendly vehicles are an excellent investment. While electric cars in particular may be more expensive to buy up-front, they are infinitely cheaper to run – meaning the long-term economic benefits are great indeed.
Lower emissions
In addition to saving you money on running costs, electric and hybrid cars also help you do your part to save the environment. CO2 emissions are much lower for eco-friendly vehicles, with the sweet spot falling below 100g/km of CO2 – meaning you’ll even be exempt from road tax. Super-efficient vehicles which emit 75g/km of CO2 or less are also free of London’s expensive daily Congestion Charge.
Image source: The Rabbit
Featured Expert: Paul Clarke, editor of GreenCarGuide.co.uk shares his top tips for environmentally conscious buyers looking for a green-machine.
If you’re looking for a more economical car, there’s never been a better time, as there are lots of choices. However, it can also be confusing: do you choose petrol, diesel, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, range-extender, or pure electric vehicle?
The answer to the common question of ‘which is the best green car?’ depends on your driving:
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If you only do short journeys and want a cheap car, then a petrol car with, for instance, a small three-cylinder engine is likely to be cost effective overall.
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If you spend most of your time driving high motorway mileages, then an efficient diesel will probably give you the best economy.
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If your driving is split in and out of urban areas, then a hybrid may be ideal.
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If your regular commute is within the electric range of a plug-in hybrid or an extended-range electric vehicle (possibly 15-80 miles between recharges depending on the model) and you also want to drive further at weekends, then these technologies would be perfect.
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If most of your driving is within the range of a pure electric vehicle, i.e. 80-100 miles in most cases, then such a choice could really slash your running costs – and would result in zero tailpipe emissions.
For more information, check out The Green Car Guide’s handy online videos.
If you’re still not sure which eco-friendly machine is the car for you, here’s some more information that might help to tip the scales.
Going electric
- No exhaust or noxious fumes
- Much quieter than cars with internal combustion engines
- Regenerative braking means the car is charged when you brake
- Cheap to charge with charging stations widely accessible in urban areas
- Many electric cars have superior acceleration performance to conventional vehicles
Going hybrid
- Some hybrids use an internal combustion engine to generate electricity and recharge
- Consumes less fuel than conventional vehicles and causes less air pollution
- Hybrid engines are much smaller, lighter and more efficient than in conventional vehicles
