The leasing sector is a leading adopter of cleaner and more fuel-efficient vehicles, according to the latest quarterly survey by the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA).

The survey of the BVRLA’s leasing members found that almost one in 20 (4.7%) of all new leased cars registered in the final quarter of 2015 was a plug-in, well-ahead of the market penetration achieved across all new registrations, which stood at 1.3%.

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The leasing sector’s low-emission credentials were also demonstrated by the fact that more than 25% of lease cars currently sit in VED band A (sub 100g/km CO2) while the overall market share for all new cars sold in 2015 stood at 20%.

The average lease car added to a BVRLA member fleet in 2015 emitted just 112.6g/km CO2, more than 7% less than the average new car registered in 2015.

Poppy Welch, head of the Go Ultra Low campaign team, said: "We’ve been encouraged by the growing number of fleets realising the multiple advantages of electric vehicles – and BVRLA members continue to play a pivotal role through education on whole-life costs and employee benefits. More businesses need to be bold, opening their thinking to incorporate electric vehicles and the cost-savings they bring."

According to the latest BVRLA survey, leasing companies were responsible for around 1.3m business cars and vans at the end of 2015, which was a 5.5% increase year-on-year.

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Commenting on the news, BVRLA chief executive Gerry Keaney said: "More and more businesses are turning to leasing as a source of finance and BVRLA members are helping these companies to operate cleaner, more fuel-efficient vehicles.

"The government needs to recognise that the company car or van is more than just a taxable perk and a valuable source of revenue for the Treasury. These vehicles are vital business tools that can play a huge role in reducing the UK’s road transport carbon emissions. Without a fair and simple tax regime for company vehicles, this won’t happen."