Cleaner company cars

Feb 1 2010 Maurice Glover

Cleaner company cars

BUSINESS motorists are playing a major part in efforts to clean up tailpipe emissions.

The cars they are driving reflect 'impressive progress' in the battle to reduce the carbon emissions that harm the environment.

Figures show that the 1.6 million cars operated by members of the British vehicle Rental and Leasing Association produced four per cent less exhaust emissions last year.

'The average figure - 144g/km - was nine per cent down on the industry total for 2007 and shows the vehicles used by our members are continuing to outstrip the improvements reported for new vehicles as a whole.

'This disproves the myth that company cars are gas guzzlers. The emissions-based tax regime introduced by the Government has given fleets and their drivers a great incentive to drive cleaner cars and the message is clearly getting through,' said chief executive John Lewis.

According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, average new car emissions in 2009 fell to 149.5g/km.

Leasing companies also reported a two per cent fall in the average contract mileage for cars added to fleets in 2009, down to 19,183 miles from the 19,617 seen in 2008.