Automobile News

While we have long been used to exorbitant petrol prices in the UK, Americans spoiled by super cheap petrol are starting to cringe in the face of runaway prices. 80 percent of consumers in the US expect petrol prices to only continue to rise. In light of this development hybrid vehicles have become especially interesting and attractive.

According to a study by the consulting company J.D. Power, around 62 percent of drivers are considering purchasing a fuel saving hybrid for their next car. A year ago this number was only at 50 percent. The interest in ethanol powered vehicles has also increased during the same period from 43 percent to 47 percent.

So it comes as no surprise, that out of the 30 most environmentally friendly cars in the US determined by a new study, hybrid cars took up eight spots. Four of these hybrids stem from Toyota alone: the Prius, the Camry Hybrid, as well as the Toyota Highlander Hybrid and the Lexus RX 400h. Toyota manages to have a total of seven cars on the environmentally friendly list. Nissan, Chevrolet, and Honda follow with four models each. Interest in hybrid cars in the UK has also been increasing as of late, although many people are put off by the higher expense and believe diesel is more environmentally friendly.

It’s nearly impossible not to notice the crushing heights that petrol prices have reached nowadays. Indeed, simply filling up one’s car to get work now encompasses a large percentage of people’s monthly expenses. However, for many people their car is their lifeline and alternatives are often non-existent, so what options are there? According to a recent report by the Automobile Association, people are deciding to drive less, and drive slower in order to conserve fuel.

AA puts the overall amount of driving at around the same level as it was two decades ago, when there were also fewer vehicles on the road. Now, even families with multiple cars are opting to make journeys together in only one vehicle. Moreover, the average speed of vehicles on highways has dropped, as drivers attempt to conserve fuel by driving slower. The statistics are based on reports of over 5,000 road patrols conducted by AA that concluded there were 20% less cars on the road than usual. Clearly, this is a very significant drop, and indicative of the impact high petrol prices are having on people’s lifestyles. A survey by AA on people’s driving habits also found nearly two thirds of driver’s had curtailed their driving in some form or another.