Environmental concerns are driving a substantial change in the way cars are powered, a move that should have a major positive impact on air quality in our towns and cities. Your London Chauffeur is now a Eco-Friendly Chauffeur.

Those involved in the personal transportation industry are reacting to changes in both legislation and in the vehicle manufacturing industry, with moves now coming thick and fast. Several governments have now committed to a future with electric-only vehicles, setting deadlines for the change.

For all of us, the future is set to see all-electric cars take over. What is not yet clear, is how quickly that change will happen, as legislators and innovators wrestle with the challenges of that change.

For those with London chauffeur hire services, and taxis, it is legislation that will drive change, alongside innovation from car manufacturers – while customers are also having their say, as concerns around environmental responsibility grow. A chauffeur company needs vehicles that are reliable, flexible and have low running costs, as well as being comfortable for passengers.

Up until now, it has been diesel engines, praised for their fuel efficiency and low running costs, that have been the propulsion unit of choice for most hire vehicles. Mindful of environmental concerns, innovations such as stop-start have been introduced, switching off a vehicle’s engine when at a stop – something that makes a real difference to emissions in city centres. There have also been steps to reduce harmful emissions, using suppression systems and particulate filters, with prestige marques such as Mercedes leading the way.

Now, city authorities are having their say. London is penalising those with older, less efficient engines in their vehicles. And they are insisting that new London taxis will have to be hybrid vehicles, capable of travelling for at least a part of their working day on electric battery power. Many mainstream car manufacturers are now also offering hybrid models, which can be plugged in before their day’s use, and travel for some distance electrically. Regeneration systems also allow recharging on the move.

The next five years will also see a dramatic rise in the availability of practical, all-electric cars. Today the market is very limited, with US manufacture Tesla leading the way at the luxury end of the market, and small vehicles sold by Renault and Nissan. More than half a dozen other models are promised on the market in the next five years, widening choice.

At the same time, charging technology and improvements in battery capacity are expected to enable all-electric cars to become a more practical choice, with fast and easy charging reducing “range anxiety”. A pure electric vehicle that can function as a practical London eco-friendly chauffeur driven car is not quite here – but as each month goes by, that time is getting closer.

Whether you have a business meeting in London, a business roadshow or entertaining clients at an event, call AA Chauffeurs, one of London’s finest Chauffeur companies, sit back and relax in one of our eco-friendly chauffeur driven car’s whilst we get you to and from your destination in pure luxury.

You can book your London chauffeur here or call us on 020 8732 5599