People 'choose green cars for fuel savings, not air quality concern'

People tend to buy green cars more so because they can save money on fuel, rather than because they are concerned about improving the local air quality, it has been said.

According to head of communications for the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership Neil Wallis, the rising price of petrol is likely to make more members of the public choose environmentally-friendly cars.

"While there is probably still a relatively small proportion of people interested specifically in CO2 emissions, it is very much related to fuel efficiency. People are turned on by savings in fuel costs," he stated.

Mr Wallis added that while some are concerned about the impact on the environment and air quality by driving non-energy efficient vehicles, the majority are likely to be persuaded to buy green cars because of financial motivations.

These include tax deductions, exemption from London's congestion charge, as well as savings on fuel costs.

Last week, Carbuzz.co.uk revealed that fuel economy is the third most important thing people consider when buying a new car, just behind the number of seats and its price.

Posted by Lauren Steadman