Businesses using Fleet Evolution to run a salary sacrifice scheme recorded a 48% reduction in the CO2 emissions of employees’ vehicles in 2015.

The firm added that three of its most popular cars last year were electric or hybrid models, topped by the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, along with the Nissan LEAF and Golf GTE.

Andrew Leech, director of Fleet Evolution, said: “This research shows how much people are taking note of the impact of excessive CO2 emissions. How to reduce our carbon footprint is a widely discussed issue, and by offering employees the option to make a relatively small change – such as driving a more eco-friendly car – employers are really leading the charge against global warming.”