One in three European motorists are willing to more for a greener car, even the majority say they have reduced their spending as a result of the recession.
A new survey commissioned by Ford, shows that motorists are still looking for greener and more efficient cars despite 71 per cent of us actually cutting back on spending.
Affirming that Ford’s plans to introduce five efficient, electrified vehicles makes sense, 60 per cent of a survey of 6,000 Europeans said they prefer to choose models from carmakers that have targeted a reduction in their environmental impact.
Over two thirds (71 per cent) consider fuel-efficiency a major factor in buying a car while more than half (53 per cent) said they consider climate change to be the world’s biggest issue and 57 per cent would prefer to lead a more environmentally conscious lifestyle.
“The survey shows that even in economically difficult times there is a clear desire for vehicles that are more environmentally friendly,” said Barb Samardzich, vice president Product Development, Ford of Europe. “Ford is extremely focused on meeting this demand now and in the future, and this goes hand-in-hand with delivering products that help reduce running costs.”
Ford appointed The Futures Company -a leading international consultancy- to assess our attitudes to greener cars.
The carmaker is of course delighted to learn we still care about the environment as the maker of efficient models including the 85.6mpg Fiesta Econetic, 83.1mpg Focus Econetic and new Grand C-Max 1.0 litre EcoBoost models.
This year, the carmaker also plans to launch its fully electric version of the Focus in Europe, will hybrid and plug-in models to follow in the near future.
Faye has been writing about cars and environmental issues since 2007. A suspected eco-warrior working on the corporate inside, Faye mainly likes the weird, quirky vehicles that show a distinct environmental advantage. Her ideal car has enough room to fit a bale of hay in the boot. When not working, she likes nothing better than to head out on her bicycle and explore the countryside.
Faye Sunderland
January 14, 2013
Filed under: Ford
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