New lease cars make for a greener planet by offering the latest technology

Leasing a new ‘Green’ car like the Toyota Prius (pictured) means less pollution in our towns and cities

We take a look at how leasing a new car can help air pollution by ensuring drivers always have the benefit of the latest technology, including electric assistance.

Any vehicles registered after 31^st March 2017 will be subject to new Vehicle Excise Duty, more commonly referred to as Road Tax.  The only vehicles that will qualify to pay £0 road tax will be those with zero emissions (and a retail price of less than £40K).  Leasing is becoming an increasingly popular choice to get fast, affordable access to newer, greener vehicles – so could leasing help make the planet greener?

The new road tax bands are designed to encourage drivers to make the move to zero emissions vehicles, with all vehicles that emit CO2 (however low) soon to face additional charges.

The new rates are not retrospective, so if your car is already registered you will continue to pay your current rate.  However, drivers considering their next car may be thinking more about an electric vehicle than they previously would.  As focus shifts towards emission free motoring, the electric car market will become increasingly competitive leading to great value to drivers.   There are so many reasons why you should lease a car and go emission free …

• Access to the latest technology – technology within electric vehicles is evolving all the time to reduce charging times and increase range as well as improve safety. Leasing an electric vehicle means every few years you can upgrade to a newer, more advanced model in much the same way you do with your mobile phone.  For example, the Nissan Leaf was the first fully electric vehicle sold in the UK, released in 2011, and had a 110-mile range.  Today, most manufacturers have an electric vehicle and advances in technology mean a range of nearer 300 miles can be achieved by some models. 
• Affordability – the cost of an electric vehicle is always more than a standard car, so leasing provides an affordable way to become emission free. Leasing a vehicle means you have fixed monthly rentals allowing for easy budgeting, allowing you access to cars you may not otherwise be able to afford with a small initial outlay.
• Low Benefit-in-kind rate – for those who need to pay company car tax an electric vehicle is an ideal way of keeping those payments low, leaving you more of your hard-earned wages to enjoy!
• Future proofing against Low Emission Zone Charges – Air pollution is a major problem in our cities. Brixton Road in Lambeth exceeded the annual legal limit of pollution after only 5 days of 2017.  In attempt to lower air pollution London will introduce the T-Charge in October which will cost £10 a day for the most polluting vehicles.  It is likely other cities across the country will follow suit with their own plans.  Going emission free guarantees, you won’t be paying any extra wherever you choose to drive.
• Access to Government Grants – The Government will pay up to £4,500 of the cost of a new electric car and up to £8,000 to a new electric van providing the vehicle meets specified eligibility criteria. Leasing a vehicle means you get to take advantage of these lower costs and enjoy the Governments generosity!

Current leasing deals on electric cars mean you could be driving emission free for less than £200 a month. So yes, car leasing can help make the greenest technology available to the masses and set us all on the road to a cleaner planet!

Thanks for providing the advice in this article goes to Rivervale, a car leasing company based in East Sussex who are specialists in vehicle leasing and used vehicles, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority & full members of the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association