The company said that while diesel engines had become popular for low CO2 and high economy as well as their driving characteristics, there was an increasing mood against the fuel as the links with poor air quality became better known.

With the cost and complication of meeting the European emissions regulations disincentivising diesel engines, the next decade is expected to bring wider popularity for efficient petrol and hybrid drivetrains as well as fully electric cars as these offer a longer and more fleet-suitable range.

‘Those of us who have been around the industry for some time can remember when petrol was the default choice. The overall switch to diesel took many years and it will take some time for the next overall change to occur,' said GE Capital Fleet Services managing director, Gary Killeen.

‘However, our estimates are that within another decade, we will be seeing a much wider range of drivetrain technology on fleets. Diesel will continue to be very popular but will no longer be the automatic choice.’