Is the bio-fuel solution just a green fantasy?

In this week's issue of Autocar, it is reported that world consumption of oil is currently running at 1,000 barrels a second.By 2030,this consumption rate is expected to have increased by a further 70%! Clearly, with oil supplies dwindling and the rate of climate change causing almost universal concern, something will have to happen to prevent environmental and economic disaster on a global scale.

Do bio-fuels offer a credible solution? You've got to hope they will provide one of several sustainable solutions to divert catastrophe.

Autocar further reports General Motors boss, Rick Wagoner, as saying at the Detroit Motor Show that his firm is supporting an American company which reckons it can turn almost anything into ethanol to fuel cars.The technology is so close to full development that car grade ethanol ,from most waste materials, like old rubber and plastic,agricultural waste, and so on, could be in production in three years'time.Current cars can be easily converted to using bio-fuels.This could take the heat off bio-fuels, currently seen as potentially taking the food out of people's mouths, with its great appetite in production for grains.

Bio Power

Another business that has nailed its colours firmly to the mast of the bio-fuels tanker,so to speak,is the Saab Motor Company.Covered here before (See lec at Friday,March 30,2007), the BioPower hybrid (seen above)has many high profile celebrity fans including Sir Richard Branson who owns one.

The use of bio-fuels as a significant part of the total solution to the problem of CO2 emissions and imminent energy shortages now seems far from green fantasy.

...and before I close this...on the subject of Green Myths

Quentin Willson, motoring correspondent, presenter and outspoken social commentator examines green motoring and the current myths that surround the topic. Quentin explains why he believes that :

• bio-fuels are in fact a stepping stone to a longer-term goal
• the biggest threat to green motoring is confusion and misinformation
  
• the UK Government must take most of the responsibility for car buying habit

The full interview with Quentin Willson can be read here. This is the third of ‘The BioPower Interviews’, the first two being with Sir Richard Branson and Kevin McCloud who are both high-profile Saab BioPower drivers.

For the Autocar site you can click here

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500 is Fiat's number


Earlier this week,FIAT Group Automobiles UK Ltd launched the new Fiat 500 with a flight in one of the British Airways London Eye capsules.

Exactly 500 hours into 2008, a fantastic light show lit up a showbiz and celebrity event on the banks of the River Thames.

Around 500 VIPs, including Kelly Osbourne, Jade Jagger, Eva Herzigova, Eddie Jordan, Leah Wood and Lawrence Dallaglio with 1,500 others were invited to the all-ticket
launch event.

Also,there were 500 Fiats old and new in cavalcade.Everyone was treated to fantastic live performances from pop sensations Mika, The Feeling and The Vibrants.

Speaking about the Fiat 500,Fiat Managing Director, Andrew Humberstone, says: “We are confident that this car, with it stylish looks, economical consumption figures, outstanding safety features and ‘green’ credentials, will win a place in everyone’s hearts.”

While the new Fiat 500 is airborne for two weeks, members of the public have the chance to win a Fiat 500 in an interactive design competition being staged at the London Eye until 3 February.

Though I enjoy looking at "what may be",it has been a refreshing change to report on a great low emission car which is actually in production and available to buy,now.For more detail about the new Fiat 500 click here.

Keeping the Wheels spinning at the Detroit Auto Show

In Detroit the major,and the not so major (but up and coming-if that can be said of China!), carmakers have converged to put on a world class show of automotive excellence.There are more than 30 all-new cars making their world debuts,say Auto Express.

And ,green is the colour of intent,though ideas are in evidence ahead of substance.
As previously reported,last time,the Japanese car manufacturers are most convincing with their low emission technology claims of winning the race to produce the batteries necessary for their hybrids.The Americans though are anxious to show what they are doing.Chrysler have put up a trinity of concept cars described by their spokesperson,Frank Klegan, as "pure concepts". This seemed to signal showcased ideas which might make it eventually into production some time.Enter the Jeep Renegade (bluetec diesel), Dodge ZEO (electric)(shown above), and Chrysler ecoVoyager(electric with hydrogen cell 'range extender').

Talking about the three new Chrysler concepts, Simon Elliott, Managing Director of Chrysler UK, said: “Providing exceptional fuel economy and reducing emissions is part of Chrysler’s environmental commitment. In fact, we have already seen some of the benefits of our green approach in the UK with the launch of so many Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge models with fuel-efficient diesel engines in the last few years."

For more details click here.

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Carmakers Plug-in Their Green Technology at the Detroit Motor Show

Well, 'ere we go again with the first major motor show for 2008. This is the big one opening this weekend, and the battle lines are truly drawn in the green car market stakes. All the established,and some not so well known ,carmakers are showing their determination to make a difference with new concept and production cars which are more fuel efficient and have reduced levels of harmful emissions.

AFP, the global news agency, today report General Motors chief Rick Wagoner as saying during previews of the show ,which opens to the public from 19th to 27th January,that new green technologies are a "business necessity and an obligation for society." This truth has been taken very much to heart in the US where the gauntlet has been thrown down to the Asian carmakers in the battle to win supremacy in the fast-growing market for green cars.

One big fight will be between General Motors and mighty Toyota. As well as conventional hybrids, we can expect to see results of the accelerating pace of development in the plug-in cars. These are the rechargeable cars which can be literally plugged-in to be recharged at any electrical socket. The pressure challenge still ahead is to mass-produce these cars in order to make them safe and commercially viable. GM are still looking to get its Chevrolet Volt into production by 2010.Toyota,now believed for the first time ,according to the Financial Times,to be the world's top selling car company ahead of GM is feverishly working to crack the technology to be able to mass-produce the lithium-ion batteries essential for its plug-in hybrids.

So,there will be the sleek, the magnificent,the fast,the expensive ,the economical, the large and the small ,all in a fascinating mix being showcased in Detroit. I hope to report on some of the more "muscley" cars that will be on show, over the next week or so.But, in the meantime,let me leave you with the quirky, "the Book of Songs" concept electric car (appropriate now that all makers are tending towards singing from the same green hymn sheet) from the Hang Lua deign studio, shown at the top of this post. This just a glimpse of the presence of the Chinese carmakers and designers who will be at Detroit in numbers, and who are really a growing force in world carmaking. More in a day or two.

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8 New Year Brief Tips for Greener Motoring

In order to save money by reducing your fuel consumption, and thereby the amount of CO2 emissions you put into the atmosphere, you may wish to consider buying a greener car this year. In the meantime, you can cheaply do the following:

1.Watch Your Weight

Not your personal weight,of course, but the weight being carried by your car. Everyday, we often carry in our cars items in the boot or backseat (portable cement-mixer, hedge-trimmer,empty suitcase,golf clubs unused forever, you know the things) which have been there for weeks and not thrown away, or not been returned to their proper place in the home or garage.Sometimes we set out on our motoring holidays with this excess weight ,and also too much holiday stuff.
More weight means more cost to move the car. Is our family ,shown above, just taking too much stuff, just in case...?

2.Keep correct tyre pressures

With extra weight your tyre pressures should be increased, in accordance with the manufacturer's manual that was issued for your car. Correct tyre pressures make for better safety, slower tyre wear and tear,and greater fuel efficiency.

3.Go with the Flow

By this ,I mean try to avoid 'drag' caused by interfering with the smooth flow of air over your car when in motion. Baggage piled high on the roof ,with bits hanging off here and there, and out of the boot ,will greatly decrease fuel efficiency(it may even be considered an illegal or unsafe load!)
Open windows (and boot) also result in poor aerodynamics.

4.Turn-off the air-con,and other onboard accessories ...

...when these are not really necessary.Dress for the weather and you may not need the airconditioning which can increase fuel consumption by upto 10%. The impact will be less when travelling at a legal and constant speed on a motorway.Other gear ,like the radio and the rear screen demister, can also markedly sap power.

5.Watch Your Speed

Accelerating gently to a legal maximum speed,as road conditions allow,predicting traffic at junctions braking gently, and when in queues not accelerating and braking harshly, all will help fuel economy, and reduce the rate of brake disc and tyre wear.Driving techniques can affect car fuel efficiency by upto 30 %. Drive smoothly.

6. Stop and Switch-off

You must not do this (when in neutral, or otherwise!) drifting downhill, any saving is negligible and it is highly dangerous. Much the better course is to switch-off your engine when stationary for more than a few minutes. Shorter periods could see an increased rate of fuel consumption because of the fuel required to ignite the engine. The acquired skill is to find the right time and period to do this.

7.Using the right gears

For fuel-efficiency, you should drive in the highest gear possible without labouring the engine.
You can ,for example, use 25% more fuel at 40 mph in third gear than at the same speed in a fifth gear.

8.Drive off promptly

Always try to drive off promptly rather than leave your engine running when stationary which is wasteful in fuel.

After all these simple tips, driving can be safe and fun!

Please look-in here regularly for more and regular news and information on current green cars available in production or being developed, new fuel technologies, designs and other matters related to low emission cars. You can sign-up for regular updates in the opt-in box,top right.
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You can also visit the Green Car Guide website for a wealth of information on environmentally friendly cars ,to help you make an informed choice when buying your next car.

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