Tusker has revealed the 10 most popular vehicle orders of 2021 for its salary sacrifice car benefits scheme, headed up by the Audi Q4 e-tron.

The Audi Q4 e-tron head up Tusker’s list of the most popular vehicle orders of 2021

All 10 cars on the list are electric or hybrid, thanks to a shift in mindset from drivers, as well as the affordability and convenience of a salary sacrifice scheme.

The league table also reveals that salary sacrifice schemes are allowing drivers to move up into more premium brands than ever before.

Tusker’s 10 most popular salary sacrifice cars of 2021

• Audi Q4 e-tron
• BMW iX3
• Hyundai Ioniq 5 electric
• Kia Niro
• Mercedes-Benz A-Class PHEV
• Mercedes-Benz EQC
• Nissan Leaf
• Peugeot e-2008
• Tesla Model 3
• Volkswagen ID.3

The data also shows a clear change in driver demand; in 2019, nine out of 10 of the most popular vehicles were petrol- or diesel-powered, with only one EV, the Tesla Model 3, making the list.

In the main, drivers are moving from older higher-emission cars into electric, showing how salary sacrifice continues to support the Government’s Road to Zero agenda. Recent Tusker research showed that the vast majority of their drivers would not have opted for an electric vehicle had it not been for the salary sacrifice scheme.

“The shift in ordering behaviour away from petrol- and diesel-powered vehicles towards EVs has been rapid and conclusive. We are proud to offer a product that makes electric driving affordable for the mass market,” said Paul Gilshan, CEO of Tusker.

“We have seen the rise in uptake of salary sacrifice schemes, alongside the continuation of low BiK rates that encourage drivers away from traditional fuel types, and into affordable and environmentally friendly vehicles,” he added.

However, the firm said that while it remains an advocate for EV motoring, it is also aware that some drivers are not quite ready yet for electric, particularly for those who can’t have a charge point at home or because their annual mileage is too high. This makes PHEV vehicles a perfect stepping stone to electric, shown by the fact that the Mercedes A-Class PHEV remained popular for the second year running. In fact, 17% of Tusker’s orders were for PHEVs in 2021.

Thanks to the change in drivers’ buying habits, Tusker has lowered its average order emissions from 107.9g/km to 36.6g/km in just two years – it’s now well on its way to achieving a zero-emission fleet by 2030.