Tusker thinks grey fleet drivers behind emissions fall

The average CO2 emissions of Tusker’s new car orders have fallen below 50g/km, with the salary sacrifice provider suggesting that grey fleet drivers are behind the fall.

The leasing company says it has seen the average emissions fall by 15.5% from 59g/km to 49.8g/km in the first quarter of 2021, as a result of the increasing adoption rates of electric vehicles (EVs).

More than two thirds (69%) of its salary sacrifice order bank at the end of March were for electric and plug-in hybrid cars split 42%/27%.

In the same period in 2019, plug-in hybrids and EVs comprised just 14% and 2% respectively.

Paul Gilshan, Tusker’s CEO, said: “The speed at which companies and drivers are embracing hybrid and electric cars is phenomenal, and it’s great to see our order bank fall below 50g/km for the first time.

“It’s also a very positive trend to see grey fleet drivers are switching to a new EV or hybrid on salary sacrifice, providing extra peace of mind for companies that grey fleet drivers are safely behind the wheel of a fully maintained and insured new electric car.”

During the coronavirus pandemic, Tusker has seen an increase in take up of salary sacrifice cars, from nurses in Nottingham to accountants in Aberdeen, it says, suggesting companies are successfully getting their grey car fleet population into new cars.

Almost two-thirds (62%) of drivers ordering cars in March 2021 were 20% taxpayers, a rise from 58% in March 2020.

The average P11D value of cars being added to the Tusker fleet has reduced accordingly from an average of £39,029 a year ago to £38,343 now.

At the end of Q1 2021, over 25% of Tusker’s 19,000 vehicles were EVs compared with 8.5% at the same period in 2020.

Tusker’s own 50-strong internal fleet now sitting at an average CO2 emission value of 29.4g/km. It has received just two orders for internal combustion engine cars since 2019.

“It is perfectly feasible that most of our fleet could be fully hybrid and electric in the next two to three years,” continued Gilshan.

“Companies are very focussed on improving their environmental credentials alongside meeting their duty of care responsibilities. Salary sacrifice supports both these strategies.”

The fall in emissions reported by Tusker comes after the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) said that average CO2 emissions for new car registrations of its members had fallen below 100g/km for the first time. 

During the Q4-2020 reporting period, average CO2 emissions were 98g/km compared to the average UK car fleet of 114.2g/km, according to its Quarterly Leasing Survey.