Business hints to the future

Jul 6 2009 Mike Waters

Business hints to the future

THERE are certain areas where in the pursuit of greater efficiency business leads and in time the mass market will follow.

This is often the case when it comes to technology, with examples ranging from the latest mobile phones and Broadband to laptops and teleconferencing.

New research shows that business is also leading the way when it comes to cars, and in particular, the take-up of the cleanest and most efficient vehicles on the market.

While the Government is throwing resource behind promoting green vehicles as a way of saving the planet companies seem to be responding. Granted, their motivation is often cost reduction but regardless of the reason, it is good for the environment.

Research from the Arval backed Corporate Vehicle Observatory (CVO) was carried out this year across 12 countries. It shows that in the UK a fifth of businesses now include at least one green vehicle within their company car fleet.

If you cast your mind back a few years, environmentally friendly vehicles were more of a concept than a reality on our roads, whereas now they are becoming common place in the car parks of employers across the UK and into Europe.

With an influx of hybrids and fuel efficient labels flooding onto the market, ranging from the Toyota Prius to VW's BlueMotion and Ford's ECOnetic, combined with major advertising campaigns it is no surprise that their popularity is growing and will continue to grow into the future.

The CVO research shows that nearly 70% of all businesses would encourage a shift to fuel efficient labels in the next two years, the effects of which will filter down to the general public.

Whether you drive a company car or not, which most of you won't, where business leads it can be assumed that the general public will follow.

Companies purchasing new and efficient vehicles will be looking to replace them in a few years so they will make their way into the used car market and onto driveways across the country.

So momentum behind green vehicles is clearly growing and the touch paper that business has lit looks set to burn brighter as the general public begin to follow suit.

Mike Waters is director of market insight at Arval, Europe's leading fleet and fuel management company.