Volvo’s latest DRIVe versions of its S40 saloon and V50 estate now emit just 99g/km of CO2, making them road tax free despite being sizeable vehicles.
In fact, the latest revisions to the models mean that the V50 is now the largest vehicle available with sub-100g/km of CO2 and the only true estate car to hit that target.
Featuring stop/start technology both vehicles have fuel economy of up to 74mpg. The new models are also good news for company car drivers, who can enjoy a premium vehicle while lowering their Benefit in Kind tax bills.
In the UK, the changes take on added significance as Volvo Car UK continues its Emissions Equality campaign, which has already been successful in getting London Mayor Boris Johnson to reconsider the pricing structure for the Congestion Charge Zone.
Under the current rules, hybrid models are exempted from the charge regardless of their emission levels which in some circumstances are higher than their diesel counterparts. The Swedish carmaker believes this is unfair and is seeking the implement of new proposed legislation which could see all vehicles with emissions under 100g/km exempted from the charge from January 2011. The C30, S40 and V50 DRIVe would all qualify for Congestion Charge exemption under the new rules, saving London-based owners more than £2,000 per year.
