RAC Report on Motoring 2016

RAC call to action: Environment: see page 91

RAC Report on Motoring 2016

4.0 Air quality and the environment

AFVs now have a total market share of 3.2% of new vehicle sales. Increases in sales of plug-in vehicles are likely to continue after the Government agreed to extend its Plug-In Car grant scheme until at least March 2018 25 . Increased awareness of the health risks associated with nitrogen dioxide and particulate emissions from diesel engines (see section 4.3) may be the reason some motorists say they will not opt for a diesel as their next car. This is despite today’s diesels being the cleanest ever and emitting only a small fraction of emissions compared to previous generations of vehicles.

Four in 10 (41%) say they will avoid diesels, and of this group more than a third (35%) cite pollution as the main reason. Of those who say they have reduced their car use, environmental reasons do not figure highly. For example, just under a third of drivers (28%) have opted to walk rather than use their cars at some point over the past 12 months but this was more likely to be due to personal (60%) or financial (19%) reasons than on environmental grounds (17%).

Alternatively fuelled vehicles

AFVs now have a total market share of 3.2% of new vehicle sales

3.2 % market share

25. www.gov.uk/government/news/new-plug-in-grant-will-treble-number-of-greener-cars-on-britains-roads

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