If you’re in the process of buying a new car, you may be wondering which fuel type is best. It can be confusing to know which type of car to get and how well suited you would be to different fuel types. Traditionally, petrol cars are the most popular amongst UK drivers. However, with the petrol and diesel ban coming into play in 2030 and the urgency to help tackle climate change, could now be the time to invest in an electric or hybrid car? Let’s take a look at the of different fuel types and which could be the most suited to you. 

Petrol

Petrol is the UK’s most popular choice and it’s easy to see why. The second-hand petrol car market is one of the busiest around and there’s plenty of availability when it comes to getting a petrol car. Petrol is also cheaper than diesel so refuelling your car doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. However, the fuel prices in the UK in 2022 have been at their highest on record. However, petrol cars tend to be cheaper to buy than their diesel equivalent and you can still get petrol cars with good MPG and efficiency. Petrol cars can be most suited to short or city driving journeys though. 

Hybrid

If you’re after something a little eco-friendlier but aren’t ready to go fully electric, you could consider getting used hybrid car finance to help keep costs affordable. Hybrid cars use two means of propulsion, usually combining a small petrol or diesel motor with an electric motor. Plug-in hybrid cars can use their electric motor independently so you can benefit from fully electric driving without the price tag. Hybrid cars are better for the environment as the engine is smaller and releases less harmful emissions into the air and they cost less to buy than a fully electric equivalent. Hybrid cars however do have smaller electric ranges and less power as they split their torque between two power sources. Hybrid cars can be better suited to drivers who want an eco-friendly runabout car. 

Diesel

For many UK drivers, diesel cars are a no go. In recent years, research has found that diesel cars have the biggest impact on the environment and rapidly contribute to the rate of global warming. Due to this, the sale of new diesel cars will be banned in 2030. Diesel cars however are often associated with long motorway journeys as they can produce the best miles per gallon when compared to petrol equivalents. Diesel cars work best for people who regularly travel over 50 mph for over 30 minutes at a time. 

Fully electric

Electric cars are the most expensive to purchase but you can help to ease the burden of the cost with electric cars on finance with affordable payments. Electric cars are to most eco-friendly cars you can get as there’s no combustions engine involved and only an electric motor. The electric motor is powered by rechargeable batteries which means there’s no harmful emissions being released into the environment when driving your car. The running costs of electric cars are much lower than other options because its much cheaper to charge an electric car than refuelling a petrol or diesel cars. There are concerns around electric car range and range anxiety. However, the most modern electric cars can achieve mileage to content with most petrol and diesel cars. 

If you’re looking to get a new car and can’t decide which fuel type is best for you it can depend on your budget and your mileage. If you want to keep costs low, petrol cars can be the most cost effective. However, if you travel many miles each day, diesel cars can be the best for MPG. If your main concern is lowering your carbon footprint, then it would be a no brainer that an electric car would be the perfect choice for you.