News

When people think of lowering CO2 levels and becoming ‘greener’, most look to electric vehicles as a driver for improvement. Overall, transport accounts for around a quarter of the UK’s total greenhouse gas emissions and, as such, does have a large effect on the quality of air.

Richard Lowden, CEO of Green Motion International has received an outstanding achievement award at this year’s GreenFleet Awards in recognition of his personal contribution to lowering carbon emissions in the vehicle rental industry.

​Unlike some other car rental companies, Green Motion doesn’t have a strict over 25 policy. We believe that hiring a car should be a fun experience and who’s to say that younger people should miss out on experiences because they’re not old enough to hire a car?

Whilst the majority of car hires re short and, most commonly, placed over the course of a weekend or holiday break, not all car hires are short term. Some lead to customers enjoying our range of low-emission vehicles over the course of a few weeks and, in some cases, months.

​Ever since June of this year, our carbon neutral scheme has been helping to prevent deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest. Now, six months on, following a positive response, our funding will go towards a different project in the rainforest.

There are so many combinations that it will be hard for us to tell you the price of every single type of car hire, but as a guide, we’ve drawn up an example of some of the prices from a range of our branches in the UK.

We’re incredibly proud to be shortlisted to win Rental Company of the Year for the ninth year running at the GreenFleet Awards.

The UK has invested in electric charging points, introduced low-emission zones and banned new diesel and petrol vehicles from 2040. These efforts show that the government is making strides to make electric vehicles the car of choice in the UK but are their targets realistic?

If you are looking to hire an electric car with long range, here are the most suitable electric cars currently available at Green Motion. Please note that our stocks vary from branch to branch so all of the below may not be available at the branch nearest to you.

Driving an electric car produces no CO2. That, alongside a number of other reasons, is why thousands of people every month are now switching from petrol vehicles to electric. That, however, isn’t where the concern lies for many drivers.

Green Motion has branches in 30 countries so wherever it is that you are traveling to, you're likely to be able to hire an electric vehicle and help the local environment. In the UK specifically, Green Motion has 17 branches and

Car hire is all about getting out on in the open and having the freedom of the road at your beckoning. Nobody wants to have restrictions that tie them to being somewhere the

​Like most large cities in England, Liverpool is making inroads into encouraging the switch to low emission vehicles in a bid to rectify the city’s high air pollution levels.

Green Motion has two branches near Gatwick Airport: one in Gatwick Business Park and one in Reigate, a town north of the airport. Gatwick is at the epicentre of a range of ventures, all within a reasonable driving time. Here are some of our recommended trips to do in your car hire from Gatwick.

In Birmingham, road transport accounts for over 25 per cent of the city’s CO2 emissions. Nevertheless, in 2016 it was found that Birmingham has a relatively high uptake of electric cars.

A young driver that wants to hire a car may not seem like an unreasonable request, but it seems that many car hire companies attach a stigma to younger drivers that makes it difficult for the age group.

Bank holidays are a chance for families and friends up and down the country to escape for a long weekend away. That extra day can make the world of difference and many use it as a chance to spend a couple of nights in areas around the country.

There was welcome news for electric drivers and environmentalists last month: the government has announced that the UK will ban the sale of all diesel and petrol cars and vans from 2040.

For some reason, acronyms are popular in the motor industry, especially within electric vehicles, or should we say EVs? Maybe it’s something to do with saving energy.

​Lowering the amount of emissions in the capital has been a key priority for London’s mayors, past and present. The current Major of London, Sadiq Khan has announced the long-term ambition for the capital.

In the Queen’s 2017 speech, she announced the introduction of an automated and electric vehicles bill to encourage the use of electric and self-driving cars.

Although maintenance costs and fuel savings are much cheaper for electric vehicle drivers, the initial cost of an electric vehicle can dissuade people from making the change. New research shows that battery powered cars will soon be cheaper to buy than petrol and diesel ones, giving immediate savings too.

We are pleased to announce that we have begun a new project that offsets our total carbon emissions! The decision makes us the first rental company to become carbon neutral in the country.

Gatwick Airport has been recognised as a carbon neutral airport following efforts to use 100 per cent renewable energy and offset ground fuel emissions.

On May bank holiday weekend (28th May) the team of mechanical engineering students from University College London took part in their first racing event following our sponsorship.

There are many things that divide drivers of different fuel types, but one thing that unites them all is the combined hatred towards potholes. Not only are the holes unsightly, they can be a costly problem for unlucky drivers.

There are some big motoring issues which are hot topics and present parties with opportunities to outline their plans to resolve them. From diesel scrappage schemes to investments in low emission vehicles, there is plenty for motorists to be aware of in each party’s manifestos.

Our latest venture in support of green vehicle evolution is an eco-friendly car project developed by one of Britain’s leading universities. We’re pleased to announce a three-year sponsorship of one of the project’s teams at University College London.

​Although it has vastly improved and most new electric cars have a range of over 100 miles, the range can be one of the few reasons why drivers decide against using EVs.

With the uptake of electric vehicles increasing and only expected to increase further, thoughts have been cast to how the UK’s energy network will deal with the influx of charging.

It’s not only the environmental benefits that are leading the UK’s change to lower emissions. By 2021, the UK has to meet the target of an average of 95grams of CO2 per kilometre set by the EU. The target represents a 40 per cent reduction on the 2007 average of 158.7g/km.

​All current motor vehicle predictions point toward electric and hybrid vehicles being the market leader in years to come. But what are consumers opting for at present? Are there signs of the tide turning? New research by the AA has shown the trends that are shaping the industry.

​A failure to address repeated breaches of air pollution limits has led the European Commissions to send a final warning to five countries, including the UK.

The UK’s chancellor Philip Hammond has delivered his first and last spring Budget. It is expected that this will be the first of two Budgets in 2017 with the next in autumn. In the light of current statistics about the UK’s air pollution levels, there was plenty for the chancellor to address within the motoring industry.

Back in 2015, George Osbourne announced changes to the Vehicle Exercise Duty (VED) system. It may seem like a long time ago but from April 1, the changes will come into place. The revisions to the system will affect anyone buying a new car from April 2017 onward.

Plenty has developed in the electric vehicle charging market over the past few years: charging times have dropped, the number of charging points have increased and plug-in points will soon be found at some petrol stations in the UK.

The first few months of the year generally mark a time where many book their summer getaways and trips to look forward to. Flights, hotels, packages and activities are all booked in advance, but for those that like to travel from place to place whilst on holiday, transport is also a key concern.

If you have little ones to look after, it’s important to keep an eye on the latest laws and regulations to follow. An area that often causes confusion for parents is child seat laws.

The Dakar Rally is an annual off-road endurance rally race held in South America. It is widely considered to be one of the most difficult endurance rallies in the world; just finishing the race is considered an achievement in itself.

UK car industry executives are expecting a shift during the next decade that will see diesel technology become obsolete, according to the 2017 KPMG Global Automotive Executive Survey.

There are many reasons that one might make the change to an electric vehicle. Environmental benefits, low maintenance and reduced noise pollution are just some of the reasons. However, the low running costs of EVs remain one of the strongest draws.

​The cost of charging an electric vehicle varies wherever it is that the charging takes place. In the upcoming Modern Transport Bill, expected in early 2017, the government is preparing to propose that the cost of charging at road side station networks is lowered.