Whether you drive a lot for business, or run your own company and need to provide vehicles for your employees, you’ll want to make sure the car you travel in can do a reasonable number of miles to the gallon to help reduce your driving expenses.
Some of the most fuel-efficient models on sale will tend to be smaller vehicles, which isn’t always appropriate for business use. So, to help you out, we’ve put together a list of the top options for a greener company car.
BMW 5 Series EfficientDynamics model
BMW has been working hard to make its vehicles more environmentally friendly and the range of EfficientDynamics cars does just that. Take the BMW 5 series as an example, with this particular version of the popular executive car boasting fuel consumption of 62.8 mpg.
Thanks to its 70 litre tank, it is capable of covering an impressive 967 miles on a single fill, according to research conducted by MSN Cars, so you shouldn’t find you constantly have to stop off at the pumps during long drives. Of course, its comfortable interior and smooth performance makes it a favourite among businesspeople, regardless of its green credentials.
It’s therefore a popular option for companies searching for a BMW leasing deal to offer their employees.
Volkswagen Passat
In terms of range, the VW Passat is possibly the best car on the roads, as it is able to get 1,061 miles out of its 70 litres of fuel, delivering 68.9 mpg, again, based on the MSN Cars survey.
VW has also introduced its BlueMotion technology in the engines it uses for some of its Passat models, which incorporates automatic start/stop functionality and brake energy recuperation. The latter is said to be a particularly effective way to reduce both fuel consumption and emissions.
Hyundai i30
This is a smaller car than the Passat or 5 Series, but it could be worth scaling back a little to take advantage of the Hyundai i30’s green credentials. The Blue Drive version of the auto has fuel consumption of up to 76.3 mpg and CO2 emissions of less than 100 g/km, so it’s not hard to see why this vehicle should be on your radar.
If that’s not enough to convince you, the Hyundai i30 was also named the Car of the Year in the 2012 CarBuyer Awards, with the organisation praising the model’s value for money and stating: “Its smartly-styled exterior is matched by an equally attractive interior that’s chock-full of high-quality materials, classy switchgear and kit.”
BMW 3 Series
The BMW 3 Series with EfficientDynamics technology is another model from the German automaker that deserves recognition for its green credentials. It boasts fuel consumption of 62.8 mpg and has relatively low CO2 emissions (118 g/km) too.
Among the features of the EfficientDynamics models are reduced rolling resistance tyres, auto start-stop functionality, electric power steering and brake energy regeneration. Even though these cars will typically be a little more expensive to buy or lease than their counterparts without this technology, it will pay off in terms of your driving experience and the lower amount of money you spend on fuel and car tax.
Toyota Prius
Our final suggestion for a fuel-efficient and environmentally-friendly car is the Toyota Prius. One of its biggest selling points is its low CO2 emissions of 89 g/km, which means it is totally exempt from road tax in the UK.
It also manages an impressive 72.8 mpg combined, with the automaker highlighting the smooth, quiet ride you can enjoy when you get behind the wheel of a Prius. Another advantage to choosing this as your company car is its reputation as a green model, which means clients will be aware of your firm’s efforts to become more environmentally conscious.
Great list you’ve compiled here! It’s wonderful to see that so many big car companies are making the effort to go green. I think I’d pick the Prius out of this list, though they’re all good options!