Seven carmakers join hands to raise awareness of ULEVs in the UK

Three new car manufacturers have joined 'Go Ultra Low', the campaign to increase awareness of ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEVs) among British car buyers.

Audi, Mitsubishi and Volkswagen have joined BMW, Nissan, Renault and Toyota to work with government to raise awareness of the benefits of ULEVs – including low running costs and government incentives.  

Between them, the seven Go Ultra Low members boast 15 ULEVs across a wide variety of model sizes and performance attributes, from family cars and vans, to SUVs and high performance sports cars. This broader scope of products has increased the appeal of ULEVs to more buyers, and increased uptake. 
 
According to figures from the SMMT (the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders), ULEV registrations in 2014 grew by more than 300 percent to 14,518 cars, as drivers embraced the variety of models on offer; the enjoyable driving experience; and cheaper driving costs associated with ULEV ownership.
 
Transport minister Baroness Kramer said: “The public are increasingly seeing the benefits of ultra-low emission vehicles, which have low running costs and are easily chargeable at home or on the street. We now have seven manufacturers campaigning to show the wide range of styles and prices available so even more people will see what’s on offer, and the significant government help available.”
 
Hetal Shah, spokesperson for Go Ultra Low, said: “More UK car-buyers are realising the advantages of owning an ultra-low emission vehicle, and the aim of the newly-expanded Go Ultra Low consortium is to share the multiple benefits with a wider audience. We’ve discovered that once people learn more about the benefits of these cars and vans, they’re keen to take action – and once they’ve tried them, they’re hooked.”
 
With pure-electric vehicles able to travel around 100 miles on a single charge and other plug-in ULEVs boasting ranges of up to 700 miles/1,120km, these efficient cars are a viable, low-cost option for millions of motorists across the country. 
 
As well as tax benefits, government currently offers up to £5,000 (Rs 4.9 lakh) off the price of ULEVs and the cost of driving them is as little as 2p/Rs 20 per mile, compared to at least 10p/Rs 9.80 per mile for a typical petrol or diesel car. 
 
The Go Ultra Low campaign is the first of its kind, bringing together the Department for Transport, the Office for Low Emission Vehicles, SMMT and the consortium of seven car manufacturers.