Are More Drivers Opting for Alternatively Powered Cars?

Hybrid, liquid petroleum gas, or even electric. Alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) are cars that can run off anything other than petrol or diesel alone. Given their relative youth compared to the veterans, petrol and diesel, they’ve naturally been in the minority. Are things changing? Let’s take a look at the numbers.

SMMT

Among other purposes, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) aims to monitor the UK automotive industry. This includes the sales of new cars and the used car trade, but also what type of cars are being purchased across these two categories. Their data for August 2016 shows a modest 3.3% rise in new car registrations compared to August 2015.

Of the 91,640 new cars registered however, 2,508 were AFVs. It’s a 30.8% rise on last year’s August figure of 1,918. The disproportionate rise in AFV registrations compared to registrations overall is clearly a sign that they are on the up. What’s more, the number of AFVs purchased this year (nearly 54,000) has already surpassed the figure of just over 44,000 from 2015.

Go Compare

Research by Gocompare.com seems to reiterate this too. Their survey of two thousand drivers found that 16% are considering an ‘unconventionally powered car’ for their next purchase. While AFVs cost more than their petrol burning equivalents, the long term savings definitely make up for it. And it’s this that seems to be encouraging people to make the change.

Go compare do warn, however, that not all insurance companies offer cover for AFVs at the moment. The expensive battery and battery leases complicate the process and expensive, specialist parts don’t help the situation. Consequently, drivers could end up paying a bit more to insure their AFV than a conventional car, because there is less competition driving down prices.

The market is definitely growing though, as they become more popular. “As sales of alternative fuel vehicles increase and insurers become more familiar with the new technologies then we should see a more competitive insurance market for these cars,” explains Matt Oliver, Gocompare.com insurance expert.

Petrol fuelled cars

One of the issues with petrol as a fuel source is the emission of sulphur. While large power stations have measures in place to remove sulphur from their emissions, smaller fuel-burners like cars and household heating systems have un-filtered emissions. So it’s the fuel itself that has to control emissions. ‘Interference-free Sulphur Analysis in Fuels’ discusses the safe monitoring of different fuels’ sulphur content.