Almost three quarters (71%) of UK motorists say affordability is a main consideration when purchasing a new vehicle, according to the Britain Under the Bonnet report from Close Brothers Motor Finance.
A further 56% care about how economical a vehicle is to run, showing additional interest in cost. Other key attributes include fuel type (55%), engine size (49%), and number of doors (47%).
How environmentally friendly the vehicle is was classed as a major consideration for just under one in five (18%) drivers, yet failed to make the top ten. Despite the political emphasis placed on electric cars, more drivers are concerned about the colour of their vehicle than the effect it will have on the environment.
The report also found that more than a quarter (28%) of drivers wouldn’t consider buying an electric car, with 47% blaming the initial cost as being too expensive.
Other reasons influencing motorists’ decision to not purchase an electric car include, the range being limited (43%), long charging times (36%) and the technology needing improvement (46%). When buying a car, motorists say the main considerations are:
| Liquid gas criticised | |
Using natural gas for transport is as bad for the climate as using petrol, diesel or conventional marine fuels, finds a new report . Burning gas in cars also emits as much air pollution as petrol and the limited advantage over compliant diesel cars could be eliminated by planned new standards, the research shows. Transport & Environment (T&E), which published the report, said lawmakers must accept that fossil gas cannot help clean up transport and should start taxing it at the same rate as diesel and petrol. Cars running on gas – including renewable gas – belch out as much air pollution as petrol cars and marginally less than diesels that comply with new real-world limits, the report finds. |