In the last twelve months average CO₂ emissions  for cars ordered under Zenith’s salary sacrifice car schemes have fallen to just 112g/km, which is 9g/km less than the average of 121g/km in the previous twelve months.

Most drivers in Zenith’s salary sacrifice car schemes are now choosing cars with CO₂ emissions well below 120g/km, the level that will, from 1^st April 2012, attract Benefit in Kind tax at 15% for a petrol car (or 18% for a diesel). The percentage of drivers selecting cars with sub 100g/km emissions, which from April will attract the 10% Benefit in Kind tax rate for a petrol car (or 13% for a diesel), is also increasing. Twenty six percent of new cars ordered under Zenith’s salary sacrifice car schemes now have sub 100g/km CO₂ emissions. 

The popularity of lower emission vehicles is expected to further increase following these upcoming tax changes. Drivers now have much more choice of high powered, low emissions cars, with manufacturers targeted by EU legislation to reduce average emissions.

Most of the sub 100g/km emission cars being selected (90%) are diesels models including the MINI One D, Citroen DS3, Audi A1, Ford Fiesta ECOnetic, BMW 1 Series EfficientDynamics, Vauxhall Corsa ecoFlex,  Fiat 500 Twinair and Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion, all of which have CO₂ emissions of 99g/km or less.  The remaining 10% are hybrid powered cars.

Tim Buchan (Inset), Zenith’s chief executive officer, commented:  'Salary sacrifice car drivers continue to maximise their savings by choosing cars with lower CO₂ emissions and lower Benefit in Kind tax. Cars ordered through our salary sacrifice car schemes have always been significantly lower than the UK average for company cars.  We expect this trend to continue, with drivers benefitting from a much wider choice, as manufacturers work hard to bring out more and more new models, with CO₂ emissions within the lower tax band thresholds.'