What are the options for eco cars?

Eco technology is advancing all the time, but some eco-friendly cars you may have heard of include:

• Hybrid cars: these cars use a regular (combustion) engine and a battery powered motor. They have lower emissions because they use both energy sources to run. Example: Toyota Prius
• Electric cars: these use an electric battery to run, make almost no noise and need to be plugged in to recharge. Example: Nissan Leaf
• Biofuel cars: these use fuel made from plants and even old cooking oil, along with a little bit of regular fuel like petrol or diesel. They aren’t available in the UK as passenger cars, but are used for some commercial and agricultural vehicles such as buses and tractors.
• Hydrogen cars: hydrogen is put into the car’s fuel tank and converted into power. The only waste product these cars emit is water. They’re not widely available in the UK. Example: Honda Clarity FCV.
• LPG cars: Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) burns cleaner than traditional petrol and diesel. By converting your regular petrol car to LPG you can run it off both fuels. You can’t buy a new LPG car in the UK at the moment.

Registrations of electric and ‘alternative fuel cars’ increased by more than 26% from July 2017 to July 2018 as more and more of us choose greener options when replacing our cars.

But if plugging your car in at bedtime or converting your existing car to LPG isn’t for you, there are still ways to drive with more consideration for the environment.

Sharing your journeys reduces emissions and saves you money
If you can find other people making the same journey to work as you, it can make environmental and economic sense to share the costs and leave one of your cars at home.

The lighter the load, the less fuel you need
Losing a few kilos will reduce the amount of fuel you use and you don’t have to lose your passengers or your spare wheel. Try:

• Clearing out the boot and back seats to save some pounds
• Half filling your fuel tank if you’re only making short journeys
• Losing the roof rack

Is eco insurance for cars cheaper?

It will depend on your policy, your car and how you drive. However providers such as Admiral, The Co-operative and Tesco do offer cover for certain alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs), which can save you money.

Is there special insurance for eco-cars?

Having an eco-friendly car doesn’t automatically put you in some special ‘green insurance group’ although there are some specialist insurance providers. But insurance providers will consider your car’s performance when quoting prices and a less powerful eco car may attract lower premiums and tax, whoever you insure it with.

How can I find a green insurance policy for my regular car?

If you drive a petrol or diesel car and want to drive more considerately you could think about telematics insurance, also known as black box insurance. A black box or smart phone app will record how and when you drive, which could result in savings from your insurance provider.

You might also consider whether you want a green insurance provider to cover your eco or traditionally fuelled car. This could mean your insurance provider plants trees to offset your car emissions or that they use garages that focus on recycling car parts and components.

Greener driving doesn’t always have to be about having a car that you need charge up every day. It’s about making informed choices – and that’s where we come in, because we’re here to help you find the right deal by comparing the market for you.