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| Mayor of London Boris Johnson |
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Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has been challenged by Volvo to review the basis of charging for the London Congestion Charging zone.
Volvo Car UK contests that the principle of hybrid cars being exempt from the Congestion Charge is now outdated and unfair.
Drivers of hybrid cars can enter the zone free of charge on a daily basis, avoiding the £8.00 per day charge.
However, drivers of low emission cars powered by conventional internal combustion engines with the same, or even lower, levels of emissions are charged.
This 'tax' could add a financial burden of over £2,000 per year to those drivers who have selected a traditionally-powered low emission car.
The apparent disparity was highlighted to Boris Johnson by Stuart Kerr, Regional President for Europe from Volvo Car Corporation.
It was given added gravitas as Kerr was collecting the What Car? Green Car of the Year award on the company's behalf from The Mayor at the time.
Hybrid-powered cars have CO2 outputs ranging from 89g/km to 219g/km, yet all are exempt from the London Congestion Charge.
Volvo's S40 1.6D DRIVe with Start/Stop technology emits just 104g/km yet drivers are charged £8.00 to enter the capital.
Similarly, Volvo's DRIVe C30 Sportscoupe and V50 Sportswagon models also emit 104g/km but none of them are exempt from the charge.
At the end of 2008, there were 13 non-hybrid cars from other manufacturers emitting less than 105g/km of CO2 on the market.
Using the Society of Motor Manufacturer and Traders sales figures, this would equate to over 9,500 owners of low-emission cars that should, given a level playing field, be exempt from the London Congestion Charge. |
