Diesel cars are occupying an increasingly large share of the British car market, industry figures show.

According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) the diesel car market has more than trebled in volume over the last decade.

Diesel accounted for 40.2 per cent of the market last year, up from 16.2 per cent in 1997.

Greater fuel efficiency and lower CO₂ emissions are encouraging drivers to switch, the SMMT said.

This trend has helped to reduce average vehicle emissions by 13 per cent over the last decade.

More than a third (39.5 per cent) of the new car market emits less than 140g of CO₂ per kilometre.

"Our latest CO₂ report shows how far we have come, but also the challenges that lie ahead," said SMMT Chief Executive Paul Everitt. "Industry is bringing more new technologies to market. Encouraging consumers to embrace these and choose lower-CO₂ emitting variants must be our priority.

"However, this is not a task for industry alone; car makers, government, fuel companies and new car buyers have a role to play in delivering lower carbon motoring," he added.

Despite the growing popularity of diesel cars, Britain still lags behind the EU average (53.6 per cent penetration). In some member states it is as high as 70 per cent.

Source:

Cleaner cars drive home industry progress on sustainability, 19/03/08
http://www.smmt.co.uk/home.cfm

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