Green and CO2 advice for cars or vans
All cars and vans on the road today contribute to climate change because their engines burn fuel and therefore produce carbon dioxide (CO2) every time we drive.
Yet you can easily reduce your vehicle emissions and save money too. By following a few simple tips and suggestions you can reduce your engine's workload, which means it will burn less fuel and produce less CO2. You could choose a new vehicle with a more fuel efficient engine. Or make sure your tyres are pumped up correctly to reduce road resistance. Even travelling a bit lighter when you're out and about can help.
Some useful tips to reduce your CO2 impact have been laid out below. The "Act on CO2" Smarter Driving Savings Calculator will help you see how much money you can potentially save by following this advice.
Choosing your next low CO2 car based on its emissions impact is very important, so try using the Super shopper which can sorts cars and vans by their CO2 g/km output. amongst other things. You can easily see how green a vehicle is.
There are also specialist green, car and van sites that can also provide you with more detailed information so try www.greencarsite.co.uk as a useful starting point. They offer impartial free advice and information, for drivers and businesses looking to reduce their impact on the environment.
The Government has a clear strategy on tax to encourage drivers (and companies) to move to smaller, cleaner and more fuel efficient vehicles so choosing the right vehicle now will save you money in the long term. The Ultra Low-Carbon Vehicles in the UK government website explains more.
The new tax legislation introduced in April 2009 will encourage companies to buy or lease vehicles with a CO2 g/km figure of less than 160g/km for the following reasons;
- Cars with a CO2 value of less than 160 g/km will be written down (if owned) at a 20% WDA (Writing Down Allowance).
- Cars with a CO2 value of greater than 160 g/km will be written down at a 10% WDA (Writing Down Allowance).
- Cars that are contract hired or leased with a CO2 figure greater than 160 g/km will have a flat 15% of the lease rentals disallowed for tax purposes.
In summary it will become more expensive to run cars that have a CO2 output figure greater than 160 g/km.
Tip 1. Consider the car or commercial van you want
In very general terms smaller cars and vans tend to be more fuel efficient and emit less CO2, so ask yourself questions about what you want the car or van for. Do I really need six seats for a family of four? Could I make do with a smaller boot if I only use the car for shopping? Do I really need all that load capacity for my van or would a smaller van suffice?
Tip 2. The engine matters
Once you've decided on the type of car or van, check out the different makes, models and engine options. Most models offer a range of engines that vary in fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions.
Tip 3. Petrol or diesel?
Petrol and diesel engines have different effects on the environment. Engines powered by diesel generally produce less CO2 but more air quality pollutant emissions than their petrol counterparts. But which one should you choose? As a rule of thumb, if most of the driving you do is long distance or motorway driving then consider a diesel engine for fuel efficiency and lower CO2 emissions. On the other hand if you spend more time in town, where air quality is a greater consideration, then a petrol engine may be better suited.
Tip 4. Look for the label
Most new cars and vans in a showroom have a colour-coded fuel efficiency rating like fridges and washing machines (please see diagram). The coding is from band A to band G, with bands A and B representing cars that emit the least CO2, as well as having lower car tax.
The lower the emission band, the lower the tax you'll pay. The label is also a guide to the running costs you can expect for that car or van over 12,000 miles so you can compare how much different vehicles cost to run.
Tip 5. Ask about fuel efficiency
Ask the car and van sales staff at your dealer about the efficiency and environmental performance of your chosen car or van and the helpful extras available. For example, 'particulates' are emissions released when fuel is burned that are harmful to local air quality. But on some vehicles an optional extra called a DPF (diesel particulate filter) can be fitted to reduce these emissions from diesel engines. As petrol vehicles produce fewer particulates, filters are not generally needed for petrol engines.
Tip 6. Be a smarter driver
There are smarter ways to drive your car or van that help to improve fuel efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions i.e. use gentle acceleration Or when the engine is idling you're wasting fuel and adding to CO2 emissions. If you're likely to be at a standstill for more than 3 minutes, simply switch off the engine.
Why not try our quote shoppers to find a vehicle?
