Company car drivers are leading the way in the move toward greener cars, according to a survey run by Masterlease.

The leasing company, which manages a fleet of 71,190 cars, claims demand for low emitting vehicles has tripled in the past two years while ‘gas-guzzler’ orders have fallen by 6% in the same period.

Masterlease also said the average emissions of their vehicles fell from 162.4g/km to 153.9g/km from January 2007 to April 2009.

The company classes low emitting vehicles as anything kicking out less than 121g/km CO2, while ‘gas-guzzlers’ are any vehicle above 186g/km.

“The trend is encouraging in terms of less polluting vehicles as they filter into the private car market,” said Robert Kingodm, head of marketing at Masterlease. “With the Government’s ‘scrappage’ scheme as well, we can see UK’s roads forming a strategic part of a lower carbon economy.”