On this page, we outline ways you can reduce your vehicle-related emissions by using alternatives to petrol or diesel vehicles or by switching to an electric/hybrid vehicle.
Impacts of car travel
The transport sector is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the UK, and private vehicle use – especially car use – makes up the bulk of transport emissions. As the Place-Based Carbon Calculator for England shows, Chiddingly and surrounding villages have significantly higher than average carbon dioxide emissions from car and van driving. This is largely due to the village’s rural location and limited access to public transport. There are, however, several actions you can take to reduce your transport-related emissions.
Walk or cycle
In 2020, 59% of all car journeys in the UK were under 5 miles. For short journeys like these, why not try walking or cycling instead? Chiddingly is blessed with an amazing network of public footpaths, and our relatively quiet rural lanes are perfect for cycling (if a bit hilly). In addition to being low carbon options, walking and cycling have significant physical and mental health benefits and save you money.
Take the new FlexiBus
Until recently, catching the bus was out of the question for most Chiddingly parish residents. However, in June 2023, East Sussex County Council introduced their new FlexiBus service. This is an ‘on-demand’ bus service that operates exclusively for places like Chiddingly that aren’t on a bus route. It's currently much cheaper than taking a taxi - adult single tickets are £2 and concessions and under 5’s travel free. Services run 7am to 7pm, Monday to Saturday. You can book by phone (Tel: 01273 078203) or online using the Ride Pingo app (see the FlexiBus website for download details).
You can book a FlexiBus ride up to 30 minutes before you want to travel and up to 7 days in advance. At the moment, residents in FlexiBus Zone 4 (which stretches from Golden Cross to north of Hadlow Down) can get as far as Crowborough, Uckfield, Hailsham and Heathfield – perfect for shopping trips and visits to the doctor or dentist.
As a community, we really need to demonstrate demand for the FlexiBus service to ensure it continues to be funded – so use it or lose it!
You can book a FlexiBus ride up to 30 minutes before you want to travel and up to 7 days in advance. At the moment, residents in FlexiBus Zone 4 (which stretches from Golden Cross to north of Hadlow Down) can get as far as Crowborough, Uckfield, Hailsham and Heathfield – perfect for shopping trips and visits to the doctor or dentist.
As a community, we really need to demonstrate demand for the FlexiBus service to ensure it continues to be funded – so use it or lose it!
Car-share or rent an electric vehicle
If your destination is not served by FlexiBus, why not try car-pooling or car-sharing schemes such as LiftShare or BlaBlaCar? It may seem a little intimidating to share a car if you haven’t tried it before, but both companies provide detailed vehicle and personal safety guidance so you can share with confidence. Kinto also offer a car-pooling service aimed primarily at businesses.
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A number of car rental companies are now offering electric vehicle hire as part of their portfolio. Specialist firms such as Voltage Electric Vehicle Hire and eVision Electric Vehicles offer a range of electric cars and commercial vehicles for rental in southeast England. Major companies including Avis, Enterprise, Europcar and Hertz also have the option to go electric – so, if you can afford it, why not request an electric vehicle the next time you rent?
To our knowledge, no taxi companies in East Sussex are advertising electric taxi hire. This is only likely to change if there is public demand. Next time you ring to book a cab, why not ask if there is the option to rent an electric taxi?
To our knowledge, no taxi companies in East Sussex are advertising electric taxi hire. This is only likely to change if there is public demand. Next time you ring to book a cab, why not ask if there is the option to rent an electric taxi?
Switching to a low carbon vehicle
As a longer term investment, it is worth considering trading in your diesel or petrol vehicle for an electric or hybrid model. Fully electric vehicles incur no Vehicle Excise Duty and can travel in low emissions zones such as central London without incurring a charge.
What’s the difference between a hybrid and an electric vehicle?
The RAC website provides a simple explanation of the difference between hybrid and electric vehicles.
What’s the difference between a hybrid and an electric vehicle?
The RAC website provides a simple explanation of the difference between hybrid and electric vehicles.
- A hybrid vehicle (also known as a self-charging hybrid) has a small battery and an electric motor to boost efficiency. It requires a petrol or diesel engine as its primary means of propulsion, but a mile or so of pure electric range should be achievable in most settings.
- A plug-in hybrid retains a petrol or diesel engine, but a larger battery delivers up to 50 miles of electric range, depending on the model. The battery can be recharged using a home or public charging point. Plug-in hybrids are a stepping-stone towards a fully electric vehicle as it is possible to drive short journeys on electric power, but an internal combustion engine is available for longer trips.
- An electric car – also known as a battery electric vehicle (BEV) or electric vehicle (EV) – relies entirely on a battery pack as its means of propulsion. It must be plugged in when the battery is low on power.
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Comparison of hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles (Source: altemobile.com).
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Are electric cars really greener than petrol or diesel?
100% electric vehicles produce no carbon dioxide or other exhaust emissions whilst being driven. The same is true of hybrid vehicles when driven in electric mode. Neither vehicle is completely ‘zero emissions’, however, since both require charging.
So are electric and hybrid vehicles greener? Well, it is true that electric cars emit less carbon dioxide per kilometre than the best-selling petrol vehicles – but a lot depends on how much coal, oil and natural gas is being burned to generate the electricity to charge them. The climate change benefits of driving an electric car are greatest in countries with a significant proportion of renewables in their national energy mix. For the UK, where over half of current energy production comes from renewables, this is good news.
Other impacts also need to be considered. Energy storage in all electric and hybrid vehicles is provided by batteries. These not only require energy to produce, but contain significant quantities of lithium, nickel, cobalt and other metals. These elements need to be mined and the mining waste handled and disposed. Depending upon where the mining takes place – and whether extraction is done commercially or informally – there may be significant environmental and human costs. Mining cobalt produces hazardous tailings and slags that can leach into the environment, and studies have found high exposure to cobalt and other metals in nearby communities, especially among children.
Which electric car should I buy?
The electric car market is a fast-moving field, with constant technological improvements including longer ranges and shorter charging times. This makes it hard to advise on the ‘best’ vehicle to buy – with the added complication that different vehicles are best suited for different purposes. It is worth keeping an eye on review sites such as What Car and Carbuyer, which regularly publish guides to the ‘best electric vehicles’.
What about charging on long journeys?
A common concern about electric vehicles is charging your car when away from home. This shouldn’t really be a worry, as the network of charging points is growing every day. The EDF Energy website has an interactive map showing all the public EV charging stations in the UK. There are now more than 50,000 charge point connectors in over 20,000 locations – that’s more public places to charge than petrol stations. Most of these are fast-charging points (rated at 7kW or 22kW) that will take 3-4 hours to fully charge a typical battery. A growing number are rapid-charging points (rated 43kW) that take 30-60 minutes to fully charge – but these points are only compatible with rapid-charging function EVs.
100% electric vehicles produce no carbon dioxide or other exhaust emissions whilst being driven. The same is true of hybrid vehicles when driven in electric mode. Neither vehicle is completely ‘zero emissions’, however, since both require charging.
So are electric and hybrid vehicles greener? Well, it is true that electric cars emit less carbon dioxide per kilometre than the best-selling petrol vehicles – but a lot depends on how much coal, oil and natural gas is being burned to generate the electricity to charge them. The climate change benefits of driving an electric car are greatest in countries with a significant proportion of renewables in their national energy mix. For the UK, where over half of current energy production comes from renewables, this is good news.
Other impacts also need to be considered. Energy storage in all electric and hybrid vehicles is provided by batteries. These not only require energy to produce, but contain significant quantities of lithium, nickel, cobalt and other metals. These elements need to be mined and the mining waste handled and disposed. Depending upon where the mining takes place – and whether extraction is done commercially or informally – there may be significant environmental and human costs. Mining cobalt produces hazardous tailings and slags that can leach into the environment, and studies have found high exposure to cobalt and other metals in nearby communities, especially among children.
Which electric car should I buy?
The electric car market is a fast-moving field, with constant technological improvements including longer ranges and shorter charging times. This makes it hard to advise on the ‘best’ vehicle to buy – with the added complication that different vehicles are best suited for different purposes. It is worth keeping an eye on review sites such as What Car and Carbuyer, which regularly publish guides to the ‘best electric vehicles’.
What about charging on long journeys?
A common concern about electric vehicles is charging your car when away from home. This shouldn’t really be a worry, as the network of charging points is growing every day. The EDF Energy website has an interactive map showing all the public EV charging stations in the UK. There are now more than 50,000 charge point connectors in over 20,000 locations – that’s more public places to charge than petrol stations. Most of these are fast-charging points (rated at 7kW or 22kW) that will take 3-4 hours to fully charge a typical battery. A growing number are rapid-charging points (rated 43kW) that take 30-60 minutes to fully charge – but these points are only compatible with rapid-charging function EVs.
Domestic electric car charging point (Source: Craven District Council).
Domestic electric car charging point (Source: Auto Express).
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Fast-charging point (Source: Auto Express)
Rapid charging point (Source: London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham).
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Domestic electric car charging systems
Given that private cars are usually parked overnight, most electric car owners rely on home charging. As well as being convenient, home-based overnight charging also has the advantage of being, in most cases, the cheapest time to recharge. Home charging can be done via a regular electrical socket, but this is slow. Dedicated home charge points provide for faster charging. The Zap Map website includes a useful guide to the different types of charger, typical prices, and a search system to find a local installer. Government support through the EV Chargepoint Grant scheme is available to cover part of the costs of purchase and installation, but check for eligibility.
Given that private cars are usually parked overnight, most electric car owners rely on home charging. As well as being convenient, home-based overnight charging also has the advantage of being, in most cases, the cheapest time to recharge. Home charging can be done via a regular electrical socket, but this is slow. Dedicated home charge points provide for faster charging. The Zap Map website includes a useful guide to the different types of charger, typical prices, and a search system to find a local installer. Government support through the EV Chargepoint Grant scheme is available to cover part of the costs of purchase and installation, but check for eligibility.
Think about the way you drive
If you are unlikely to switch to electric in the foreseeable future, a few simple changes to the way you drive and how you maintain your petrol or diesel vehicle can reduce your carbon emissions (and save you money).
- Drive smoothly – speeding and unnecessary acceleration reduce mileage by up to 33%, waste fuel and money, and increase your carbon emissions.
- Switch off the engine when you are stationary or parked up.
- Don’t use your air conditioning unless you really have to, as it uses engine power and therefore increases fuel consumption – this goes for heating as well as cooling, so try to dress for the weather, even inside your car.
- Don’t leave removable roof-ranks and roof-boxes on your vehicle when you aren’t using them, as they create wind resistance and increase fuel consumption.
- Make sure your tyres are properly inflated – correctly inflated tyres are safer and can improve your fuel mileage by up to 3%.
- Check that you are using the correct grade of engine oil and that the vehicle oxygen sensors are in good order – as both can improve fuel mileage and efficiency.