Green house gases, carbon footprint and emissions are all buzz words among supporters of eco-friendly motoring but the fact is, going green is too expensive for most drivers.
With the cost of fuel at an all time high and car insurance prices on the up, drivers have other financial priorities.
However, some ways of going green are easier on your finances or more convenient than others. After all, not every one of us would be able to pay the high prices currently being charged for environmentally friendly vehicles.
And is it really practical for you to use your car less, by switching your commute to public transport or bicycle, for example?
Your choice of vehicle
Over the last few years, a number of cars marketed as being particularly eco-friendly have been launched.
These include hybrid models – which use a combination of petrol and battery-powered engines – such as Toyota’s Prius, as well as electric-only cars that need to be recharged between trips.
But you need to think carefully about whether either of these options is for you, says Will Thomas, head of car insurance at Confused.com.
He says that the specialised manufacture and disposal costs associated with the Prius, for example, can add to its overall environmental impact, although Toyota has made recent improvements to its processes to cut the Prius’s carbon footprint.
“On top of that, a Prius is going to set you back around £22,000,” Thomas adds.
“There are also service costs to take into account: with a Prius you are only going to go to a main dealer, which is likely to be more expensive. Then there are the scrapping costs as well, especially the battery.”
Powered up?
Electric cars are an alternative, but these are still expensive, despite a government-grant scheme that can cut £5,000 off the price: expect to pay more than £25,000 for a model such as Nissan’s Leaf.
These vehicles’ batteries need to be topped up at special recharging points – at present these are not common in the UK, so electric cars are more suitable for people who have off-street parking where their own recharging point can be installed.
Electric vehicles are also better suited for short trips given their limited battery range.
“Electric cars are fantastic as long as there’s somewhere to charge,” says Thomas.
“But most people would be better simply going for smaller vehicles if they want to go green. These use less fuel, and are cheaper to insure too.”
Thomas highlights Volkswagen’s BlueMotion range, and points out that the Polo can do up to 88 miles per gallon and could cost less than £15,000.
Fuel choices
Another factor to consider is whether you go for a petrol or diesel engine: diesel cars as well as the fuel itself are likely to be a little more expensive, but on the upside diesel is more efficient.
What this means is that you need to take into account the amount of driving you do – as well as the type, for example whether it is predominantly in cities or on motorways – to work out which is likely to be the most economical.
According to the AA, diesel engines are better suited to stop-start journeys.
You can find a number of online calculators to help you do your sums.
Driving habits
How you drive can be as important as what you drive when it comes to cutting fuel use.
An over laden car can use much more petrol, so take off that roof rack when you’re back from your holidays, and give your boot a clear-out before you start your week’s commute.
Drivers’ groups point out that accelerating and slowing smoothly can conserve petrol, as can a set of fully inflated tyres.
Thomas says that buying cheap tyres can be another false economy, and one which also harms the environment.
“Most budget tyres are made in Indonesia with very polluting manufacturing processes – plus they don’t last as long and just end up on tyre mountains.”
You can get a break down of how much you spend on petrol with our fuel cost calculator.
