Employer dictate employee car emissions?

[DickP]

Hi,

I am a prospective new employee and the company car allowance policy has some standard requirements, being appropriate for business use, carrying of passengers if required (be it colleague or customer) and the likes so nothing too onerous in that regard.

It then also mentions about being low in C02 in line with the company policy. The company policy, if opting for a company car, would be no greater than 120g/km.

Though I doubt that this would be flagged as a problem, and for the moment my car would be compliant anyway, but is this a realistic scenario where an employer forces an employee to change their car based on emissions only?

Thanks,

[CraigyMc]

DickP said:

Hi,

I am a prospective new employee and the company car allowance policy has some standard requirements, being appropriate for business use, carrying of passengers if required (be it colleague or customer) and the likes so nothing too onerous in that regard.

It then also mentions about being low in C02 in line with the company policy. The company policy, if opting for a company car, would be no greater than 120g/km.

Though I doubt that this would be flagged as a problem, and for the moment my car would be compliant anyway, but is this a realistic scenario where an employer forces an employee to change their car based on emissions only?

Thanks,

In order to get an allowance, yes. Plenty have other rules like maximum age, and shape (eg up to 5 years old and a saloon).

If you don't like it, don't take the job.

[blank]

Pretty normal. Doesn't look good on them if you rock up in a massive V8 or something.

[DickP]

Understood. I've asked for clarity in the hope they say it's encouraged but not strictly enforced (i.e. don't take the mick with say a 5.0 litre rumbling V8).

[sociopath]

blank said:

Pretty normal. Doesn't look good on them if you rock up in a massive V8 or something.

I've done that in the past, it's great fun. Especially if you do it and your ceo pulls in next to you in a repmobile

[vulture1]

sociopath said:

blank said:

Pretty normal. Doesn't look good on them if you rock up in a massive V8 or something.

I've done that in the past, it's great fun. Especially if you do it and your ceo pulls in next to you in a repmobile

I took my noble to a managers meeting at head office once. Bright red sports car parked in a sea of grey corporate audi a4s. Albeit I didn't get a company audi they were for all the area managers and head office staff high ups.

[Scrump]

This will become increasingly common as emissions from company cars are included in scope 1 of a company’s carbon calculation, so if they have signed up to any form of carbon reduction strategy then they will be looking to reduce emissions from company cars.

[DanL]

DickP said:

Hi,

I am a prospective new employee and the company car allowance policy has some standard requirements, being appropriate for business use, carrying of passengers if required (be it colleague or customer) and the likes so nothing too onerous in that regard.

It then also mentions about being low in C02 in line with the company policy. The company policy, if opting for a company car, would be no greater than 120g/km.

Though I doubt that this would be flagged as a problem, and for the moment my car would be compliant anyway, but is this a realistic scenario where an employer forces an employee to change their car based on emissions only?

Thanks,

Whether your current car complies, or even any future car you have does, appears irrelevant based on the bit in bold unless it’s a company car.

I would assume the company car list is all low emission. If you take a car allowance rather than the car, I presume you can do what you want with it?

[DickP]

Hi,

One of the requirements of the car allowance option is that it is low emission CO2 in line with the company policy, and the only car policy which states the CO2 emissions is the company car policy.

My grade does entitle me to reasonable company cars if I elected that instead (e.g. 330e saloon) but I would rather not go down that route having had company cars in the past and found them restrictive for my hobbies and sports (e.g. can't share driving with a friend etc and have no say on additional winter wheel and tyre combo etc.). There is also the financial impact on BiK to consider.

In any case I have asked the question and shall see what the result is.

[Sheepshanks]

DanL said:

Whether your current car complies, or even any future car you have does, appears irrelevant based on the bit in bold unless it’s a company car.

I would assume the company car list is all low emission. If you take a car allowance rather than the car, I presume you can do what you want with it?

According to the OP: "It then also mentions about being low in C02 in line with the company policy".

We had a < 6yrs old rule. I just declared my wife's car (which I was RK of) and ran a Merc until it was 15. I was field based, but took it to various company offices and no-one ever said anything.

[Captain_Morgan]

DickP said:

Hi,

One of the requirements of the car allowance option is that it is low emission CO2 in line with the company policy, and the only car policy which states the CO2 emissions is the company car policy.

My grade does entitle me to reasonable company cars if I elected that instead (e.g. 330e saloon) but I would rather not go down that route having had company cars in the past and found them restrictive for my hobbies and sports (e.g. can't share driving with a friend etc and have no say on additional winter wheel and tyre combo etc.). There is also the financial impact on BiK to consider.

In any case I have asked the question and shall see what the result is.

If there is a policy in place for company car but this does not explicitly state it also applies to car allowances then you need to follow the published policy for the car allowance.

I’d take a copy of policy related to company cars & car allowance at the moment & then not worry.

If they haven’t made an explicit statement then they can’t be that worried, if there an issue then it’s a case of okay I’ll deal with that on my next lease / perchase.

[DickP]

Hi all,

Just to finish the topic off, I got a reply.

No emission requirements when in receipt of car allowance, they confirmed it only applies to company cars.

Thanks,

[survivalist]

DickP said:

Hi all,

Just to finish the topic off, I got a reply.

No emission requirements when in receipt of car allowance, they confirmed it only applies to company cars.

Thanks,

Perfect. Rock in a Dodge Charger Hellcat.

[heisthegaffer]

My employer might be going down that route, moving from company car to car allowance.

Is there a set formula/% for car allowance or is each company different?

[CraigyMc]

heisthegaffer said:

My employer might be going down that route, moving from company car to car allowance.

Is there a set formula/% for car allowance or is each company different?

All different generally. Mileage doesn't usually crack 45ppm for tax reasons on your own car without an allowance, which for me worked out better than an allowance plus a 10ppm mileage rate.

Ymmv.

[heisthegaffer]

CraigyMc said:

heisthegaffer said:

My employer might be going down that route, moving from company car to car allowance.

Is there a set formula/% for car allowance or is each company different?

All different generally. Mileage doesn't usually crack 45ppm for tax reasons on your own car without an allowance, which for me worked out better than an allowance plus a 10ppm mileage rate.

Ymmv.

Thanks.