Electric cars are the future and Snows Toyota are fully prepared for the emission evolution!



​Sir James Dyson, the British inventor who revolutionised the vacuum cleaner that bears his name, knows a thing or two about how technology can improve our lives.With the courage of his convictions, the high-profile manufacturer is investing billions of pounds to bring high-end electric vehicles (EVs) to the market from 2020.

The willingness of Sir James to accelerate electric car ownership in the UK is commendable, capturing the public mood for a switch away from the internal combustion engine. Indeed, some experts predict EVs approaching 40% of on-road vehicles globally by 2040. China, the world’s largest car market, and India are both working on timetables to make all new vehicles electric due to environmental concerns.

In a similar vein, the UK government announced earlier this year that combustion engines will be phased out from 2040 - in just 22 years’ time. At the heart of concerns is diesel particulate pollution, which even the most sophisticated filters cannot entirely prevent from escaping into the air we breathe.

A report from Westminster’s environment, food and rural affairs (Efra) select committee stated: “The government must act now to tackle this public health emergency.”

It continued: “Poor air quality is damaging the UK’s environment and harming the nation’s health: emissions have declined significantly over many decades, but not far enough to prevent the early deaths of 40-50,000 people each year.”

Our dependence on fossil fuels to power our cars - diesel or petrol – has left generations shaking their heads in climate change despair. Diesel drivers in our congested towns and cities face new pollution taxes in order to reduce the levels of harmful nitrogen dioxide emissions.This is already underway in London.

From October 23rd, older and more polluting cars must pay a £10 T-charge to drive in the city centre between 7am and 6pm Monday to Friday, on top of the congestion charge. Vehicles affected by the ‘toxic tax’ are typically diesel and petrol ones that registered before 2006 and do not meet Euro 4 standards. Paris has already banned ‘smokers’ between 8am and 8pm on weekdays. A ban on travelling at rush hour may also be on the cards in some of our worst affected towns and cities. Local authorities have the power to charge polluting vehicles.

It is against this backdrop, with the collective drive towards clean technologies and the uptake of low-emission and zero-emission vehicles, that the Toyota Hybrid is coming to the fore. Toyota Hybrid drivers are in good company - the surge in demand from motorists keen to reduce their carbon footprint means that electric cars are rapidly heading towards 2% of the total new car market in the UK. Thanks to a targeted diesel scrappage scheme, and the anticipated pollution levies, that market share is likely to rise further.

Latest data by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders - the ‘voice’ of the motor industry in Great Britain - also underlines the popularity trend in petrol-electric hybrids such as the Toyota Hybrid. There were 14,599 new registrations in September 2017, up by more than half on the same month last year. It is time to leave the old way of driving behind, and this has been borne out by a recent sector survey where one in three British motorists are considering an EV.

Drivers of Toyota Hybrid now number more than 10 million since the launch of the first Prius 20 years ago, with technological advances ensuring the hybrid range is constantly at the cutting edge of innovation and design. The hybrids save fuel, reduce emissions and generate their own recycled energy. No cables or sockets are required for a power charge because the petrol engine charges the hybrid battery when it runs low.

To find out more about how Snows can support your choice of a hybrid vehicle​, you can contact your nearest Snows Toyota dealership directly. Alternatively you can also make an online enquiry and a member of our team will get in touch with more information.


Snows has seven Toyota dealerships in the South and South West, located in Exeter, Hedge End, Honiton, Paignton, Plymouth, Southampton, and Waterlooville. The Group prides itself on its reputation and dedication to delivering excellent customer service, and is rewarded by the fact that over half of its business comes from returning customers. With Snows, driving becomes an experience, rather than a chore.

Author: Ron Wain

Please contact Ron Wain using ron.wain@deepsouthmedia.co.uk or 07824 355523 with all press enquiries.

Posted on 19/10/2017