Why higher costs makes us greener motorists

Rising fuel prices and the effects of the Credit Crunch have given a boost to alternative fuels says vehicle auctioneers BCA. Alongside news that motorists are driving less, car sharing and even down-sizing due to rising fuel costs, it appears there is a sudden but blossoming interest in eco- and alternative fuels.

BCA sells more used cars in the UK than any other organisation and handles well over a million cars in the UK alone each year. BCA’s Tim Naylor commented "The key issue for ‘green’, alternative fuelled cars is acceptability with the general motoring public, because they will drive the demand in the used market. It would appear demand is on the rise because prices for hybrid/electric and LPG powered cars are well ahead of other market sectors and expected guide prices.”

He added “BCA’s own research – published in the 2007 Used Car Market Report - suggested there needed to be a sea-change in public opinion before any kind of ‘alternative’ fuels became acceptable. Perhaps we should have suggested a sea-change in prices at the fuel pumps would have a similar effect?”

This time last year, BCA asked nearly 3,000 UK motorists what they might do to reduce their carbon footprint. 32% said they would walk more and 25% said they would cut their journeys. 19% said they would consider a car with lower emissions and 16% that they would buy a smaller car.

Naylor continued “But as we all know, UK motorists are still motivated first and foremost by price, and getting a good deal on the used cars they buy. Chosen by just 4%, environmental considerations came 10th on a list of car choice factors, behind price, make and model, low mileage and even colour.”

“This lead us to conclude that alternative-fuels would have to tick a lot more boxes before motorists would choose them over diesel or petrol. In the short- to medium-term that looked like a hard task.”

“We also said that it was unlikely that UK motorists were ready to wholeheartedly embrace green issues and alternative fuels of their own accord. We concluded that the only way to make UK motorists ‘greener’ would be to make it expensive for them not to change their habits. It would appear that rising fuel prices have succeeded in making motorists more environmentally friendly where successive transport policies have failed.”