New research has revealed almost half of drivers would like to see MOT emissions tests take into account how electricity has been generated for electric vehicles.
Under the current MOT, the test measures emissions from a vehicle’s engine, which means purely electric vehicles register zero emissions.
However, in a study for Kwik Fit, 45 per cent of car owners said they believe that in the future, the MOT should take into account how the electricity used to charge the vehicle has been generated.
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This figure rises to 51 per cent among owners of cars less than three years old.
Only a quarter of owners (27 per cent) believe that the source of electricity should not be considered in the test, while over a quarter (28 per cent) said they didn’t know.
Eric Smith, MOT scheme manager at Kwik Fit, said: “While the move to electric vehicles is undeniably positive in reducing overall emissions from individual vehicles, we must not forget the importance of ensuring that the energy used by EVs is generated as cleanly as possible.
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“To develop the MOT to assess the source of electricity used by EVs would require multi-industry standards to be set up, and the test may not be the best way to ensure drivers are opting for cleaner energy.
“However, this research does highlight that millions of drivers believe there should be a way of testing overall emissions for vehicles using electricity.
“It’s worth remembering that currently hybrid vehicles are not tested for emissions in the MOT, even though they still run on petrol or diesel for some of the time, so perhaps the first change to make should be to include emissions testing for hybrids.”
The study also asked motorists which of other technologies should be added to the list of components tested during the MOT.
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More than half of drivers (52 per cent) said that emergency braking systems – which apply the brakes automatically when getting too close to another car – should be in the MOT if they are fitted to the vehicle.
A third of drivers (33 per cent) thought that radar, other sensors or cameras used for autonomous driving systems should be checked in the MOT, while three in ten drivers (30 per cent) said lane assist technology should be included.
Start-stop technology was stated by just over a quarter of drivers (26 per cent), with the same proportion (26 per cent) believing parking sensors should be part of the annual test.
Parking or rear view cameras were cited by 24 per cent of drivers as worthy of inclusion.
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Eric Smith said: “It’s important that the MOT does not become overcomplicated and focuses on checking the most important elements in vehicle safety.
“However, motoring technology is continually advancing and the MOT has always been developed to reflect that.
“As more and more drivers have new technology in their vehicles, it is natural that they will get used to relying on these driver aids, therefore it is essential that these are regularly checked to ensure they will work properly in an emergency.”
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