More than 50% of British motorists are not considering buying a more environmentally-friendly vehicle, according to new figures from the Department for Transport.
The statistics were released as part of the latest National Travel Attitudes Study, with only 48% of those asked likely to consider an Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) as their next purchase.
Although that may mean electrified models may not be in the mind of British motorists as much, 82% of the 1,384 people asked said they would look into buying a vehicle with lower CO2 emission statistics.
Of the people asked, 20% said they were ‘Fairly Likely’ to go for a ULEV – with registrations for Alternatively-Fuelled Vehicles (AFVs) continuing to grow. By the end of 2018, 141,270 electrified models had been registered in the UK, up 20.9% from 2017.
However, the figures do need to improve significantly if the target set by the government of having only zero-emission models on the road by 2040 are to be met. The uptake of ULEVs also hasn’t been helped by the reduction of the government’s plug-in car grant from £4,500 to £3,500 – and the cutting from all hybrid options.
Transport minister Michael Ellis told The Times: “We have record numbers of ultra-low emission vehicles on the UK’s roads. So it’s really encouraging to see that so many more people are considering making the switch to cleaner transport. I look forward to the numbers going up, helping to reduce emissions and improve air quality.”
The latest National Travel Attitudes Study features the potential travel attitudes of the British public, including people looking into using public transport, cycling or walking to replace shorter car journeys.
After an electric car? Click here for the used options available on our Used Marketplace
