Victorian motorists shun eco-friendly fuels

Greg Thom
Herald Sun
April 20, 2012

VICTORIAN motorists have been accused of “green fatigue” after turning their backs on eco-friendly fuels.

New research to be released today, also reveals a fall in the number of drivers considering buying an environmentally friendly car.

The study, by insurance company AAMI, found the number of motorists opting for biofuels and ethanol blends increased just 4 per cent over the same period.

Barely a quarter of the state’s drivers said they filled up with the alternative fuels, well below NSW (53 per cent) and Queensland (49 per cent).

The number of drivers who said factors such as fuel consumption or air pollution played a part in their choice of new car fell from 57 per cent in 2010 to 53 per cent last year.

AAMI spokesman Reuben Aitchison said while a large number of Australians want to reduce the environmental impact of their car, their number appears to have stagnated over the past few years.

“Availability of biofuels and ethanol blends has increased over the past two years and cost is not a major barrier according to AAMI’s research,” he said.

“Even the belief that these fuels damage cars has fallen.”

Mr Aitchison said with the dip in the number of drivers going green at the car yard, combined with a reluctance of many motorists to change their driving style to reduce their environmental impact, it’s no wonder eco-friendly motoring is struggling.

“We know that Australians care about the environment and their impact on it, but it seems as though other pressures, like cost of living, are taking a priority,” he said.

“It seems as though green fatigue has well and truly set in.”

The study also revealed mixed results when it came to motorists modifying their driving to lessen their impact on the planet, including:

MORE than three-quarters of drivers say they drive smoothly, without hard braking or acceleration;
FIFTY-nine per cent avoid high speedscom while driving along with travelling in a gear lower or higher than necessary;
VICTORIAN drivers are the least likely in the nation to regularly check their tyres, with just 65 per cent doing so;
JUST over half of motorists use their cars air conditioning sparingly.