This BMW's for real and available in March 2007

In this post, we have a new 1 series BMW. This is a production car and rated as BMW's most economical yet. Three-door and five door versions will be available in March. Fuel consumption is at a parsimonious 60.1 mpg!

Advanced technological benefits include :

• Brake Energy Regeneration (iGR)
• Automatic Start-Stop
  
• Intelligent Alternator Control (IAC)
• Electric Power Steering
• High-Precvision Direct Injection engines
  

Confused? Well,don't be. Details of this remarkable new technology producing amazing fuel efficiency, and much reduced CO2 emissions, are explained at the Green-Car-Guide .
This lower emission car could be a real money saver on fuel , and also vehicle excise duty for the company car driver.

Cars Are Cleaner But Not Clean Enough, that's Motoring Monitor SMMT's Verdict

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders('SMMT') reveals that in 2006 the average new car CO2 emissions are down from 169.4 g/km in 2005 to 167.2 g/km.

SMMT believes that while clearly progress is being made to market cleaner cars ,many barriers still have to be overcome. These it says include the following:

• Too few filling stations across the country that sell biofuels e.g. E85 bioethanol
• Such fuels when available are no cheaper for drivers to buy
• The three per cent company car tax for new diesel cars
• Also lack of government incentives to encourage the market for new LPG cars

SMMT chief executive, Christopher Macgowan, says that further change is about encouraging consumers to think carefully about their choice of vehicle. It was also about providing incentives where needed and ensuring alternative fuels are widely available and competitively priced. This called for an integrated approach, with government, fuel companies and customers working together in partnership. More...

But things are improving!

If you are looking for your next new car, and wish to benefit the environment by buying a low emission car, you should look to the Green-Car-Guide for information, including details about the improving availability of alternative fuels.

First In Class Award Goes To Mercedes-Benz

DaimlerChrysler has announced that Mercedes-Benz has become the first automotive worldwide brand to hold an Environmental Certificate meeting ISO standard 14062:'Design for Environment.'

The first in class is the Mercedes-Benz C-class. It has been monitored stringently by an independent accredited German technical inspection authority during the whole production process.This testing also included looking at environmental balance ,while in use as a vehicle, dismantling and recycle planning.


The four-cylinder engines in the new C-class yield fuel savings of upto six per cent as compared with the previous model. Emissions of the greenhouse gas CO2 are reduced over the entire life cycle of the car by nine tonnes per vehicle.Over the same period energy requirements correspond to about 3800 litres of petrol less than that required by a car built in 2000. Harmful emissions of nitrogen oxide are reported to be down by as much as 90 per cent below the current valid Euro 4 limits.

The new C-class uses mostly materials which consume the minimum of resources, and already complies with the EU recycling rules ,effective in 2015, which call for a recycling rate of 95 per cent.Many of this lower emission car's components are manufactured from recycled plastics.

Chief Environmental Officer of DaimlerChrysler,Professor Dr Herbert Kohler says"The
Environment Certificate confirms our longstanding commitment to environmentally compatible product development."

Is your car green enough?

The Green-Car-Guide says:

"We are viewing a green car as one that is more energy-efficient than average, and/or the manufacturer has made a special effort to develop innovative new technology. An energy-efficient car will save you money on fuel, and save the world’s limited energy resources, and a car with new technology often needs all the support it can get in terms of sales in order to achieve greater mass production, drive the cost of the technology down, and generate revenue to re-invest to make the technology better.Therefore we look at cars that are conventional petrol or diesel, as well as hybrids that use an electric motor in conjunction with a petrol engine, as well as any other vehicles that may be electric or use biofuels for example. "

For low emission cars that works for me, too.

Will this electric vehicle be in EVeryday use in the UK soon?

With all the excitement of the Detroit Motor Show ,and the fabulous concept cars on show that made us gasp and hope , perhaps it is a good time to reflect on an environmentally-friendly EV which could soon actually become in everyday use here in the UK.

Suburu's R1e EV has won a top environmental award from Japan's Minister of the Environment. This light, efficient electric car has a 50 mile range and a fast-charge lithium-ion battery. On fuel efficiency, the R1e costs half that of a typical hybrid, but if night tariff electricity is used the comparative costs plummet to a mere one-fifth of a hybrid. For more

BlueTec Project to Combat ObNOxious Greenhouse Gas

BlueTec is a joint project between Volkswagen,Audi, and Daimler-Chrysler, and is designed to establish the diesel engine further as the clean,low-consumption alternative in the American car market. And Volkswagen have demonstrated that a normal diesel fitted with a nitrogen oxide reservoir catalytic converter can substantially reduce emissions of nitrogen oxide.


Nitrogen oxide (NOx) is not often mentioned as an unwanted gas emission . Whereas, carbon dioxide is scarcely out of the news. It may seem strong to label NOx ,a colourless trace gas with a pleasantly sweetish odour and taste (as defined in the Britannia Concise Encyclopaedia), an unpleasant greenhouse gas.But when mixed in a cocktail with other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, it may aggravate conditions tending to intensify the phenomenon of global warming leading to climate change. Not so good,then!

The catalytic converter being used in the Jetta with a 2.0 litre common rail diesel engine absorbs the NOx like a sponge. The engine runs more efficiently,too. The system is also regularly cleaned during normal motoring without the driver being aware.

This 'clean' engine when it goes into production during 2008 in the US will meet NOx emission requirements considered to be the most stringent worldwide,with up to 90 % less emissions.

For a fuller report you can go to DaimlerChrysler.com

Who Killed The Electric Car? Who? Who?

Whether or not last year's documentary allegations ,that GM allowed itself to be pressured by its own industry into dropping the development of an earlier electric car, the EV1,were well founded is not now the key question.Is GM back on track with its latest low emission car? That's more the issue now.The signs are good for this concept car, pictured above with GM Product Chief,Bob Lutz (who,by the way,did not kill the electric car!) About the Chevy Volt,he is reported to have said,"You might never burn a drop of gas during the lifetime of the car."


With the (Vauxhall or Chevy) Volt, GM have a sporty car with power and promise.This one won't stall on a hill.It has a one-litre, 3 cylinder, petrol engine on board ,but only to recharge the battery.For upto 40 urban miles on a fully charged battery, the electric motor will deliver the drive unaided.After that the petrol engine kicks-in with its support. GM estimate the fuel consumption at 180 mph.And you do have to plug-in overnight(for six hours) to fully charge the battery.

A 1200 mile range ,on one charge of its lithium ion battery and one fill-up of its 12 gallon tank,go to make this spacious four seater ,based on the successful Vauxhall Astra, a real contender to meet the needs for 21st century greener commuter motoring.What makes it also potentially even kinder to the environment is that its 'electric generator'could be adapted to use
biofuel,a hydrogen fuel cell or diesel. The Volt could be available in the UK in under five years time at about £16,000.

Information on current environmentally-friendly cars can found at the Green-Car-Guide.com site.

Putting the 'Big E' into the engine the Volvo way

As promised,here is a post about the Volvo XC60 concept car.This is the one, I would really like to drive now, though I will have to wait until 2009.But it could be worth it.

Volvo say this is a glimpse into the future for brand Volvo.

A true low emission car ,the XC60 is powered by a six cylinder 3.2 litre bio-ethanol engine.

Impressive sculptured body shapes combine with interior elegance. Innovations include the tailgate which has a 'one-way' effect giving the driver greater visibilty out of the rear of the car. Another feature,is the braking system designed to prevent the motorist in slow moving urban traffic from driving into the vehicle in front.But back to low emissions,Volvo engineers claim the 265 horsepower engine emits upto 80 per cent less CO2 compared with the same engine running only on gasoline. This clearly is one to watch out for in the future.I shall be doing so.The boxy Volvo has certainly gone.

Did you say greener driving won't be much fun? Toyota think it will.



I am again back to the future with a sporty concept car from Toyota.This will be both fast andsocially responsible.Lightweight ,but not in its proposed credentials,the FT-HS hybrid sports car is sleek and has a front-engine,rear-drive, set-up ,and looks for its revolutionary acceleration(0-62mph in the four second range) and optimal performance to an advanced high-output powertrain.The design team's brief was to produce a concept car to become available as a midpriced sports car and one suitable for the 21st Century.

For those who love the technical specifications, a further report is posted by the Green Car Guide.

Tomorrow, I go to the maker of the cars I particularly like,Volvo.I do drive one.
Have done so since they were seen as merely crush resistant, square and tank-like,metal boxes on four wheels.But things do change over time.Just look out for this and ,'er yes ,it is another concept car but one I hope I will eventually get to drive.


car.

Looking Towards A Greener Future with Toyota

A 2006 highlight for me was the unveiling by Toyota of its plans for

enhancing its development of environmental technologies and strengthening its efforts to introduce environmentally friendly vehicles

,as the centre piece of its corporate social responsibilty policy.

Thus ,for the next four years,Toyota management have set as priority issues the preservation of the global environment and traffic safety.By 2010,Toyota aims to double the number of hybrid models available.It hopes to include plug-in hybrids in its portfolio.Also, it plans to improve the efficiency of its conventional engines, adopting variable valve timing-intelligent (VVT-i)technology.Soon, all its petrol engines will be able to run reliably on a mixture with 10 per cent bioethanol.

Toyota aims to achieve a reduction in CO2 emissions of 75% of those in 2005.This will beat by a comfortable 10% margin the emission standards set for 2010 by the Japanese Government.

Excellent reports are to be found at
Green Car Congress
and at
Green Car Guide

New Resolutions.Old Problems.

So what's new this year? Or even what's left on the shelf?

The cost of fuel will most likely go-up, or at best stay about the same.

Oil production will continue to decline.Energy shortages will worsen.

Environmental pressures will increase.Old problems.New solutions?

Well, there is hope.

This year as last,car manufactuturers and technologists will strive to
find the solutions.But it seems that time is fast running out if we want to
protect our planet from further harm.When bits of the Polar ice shelf ,one piece
reported recently measuring 60 sq.km.,continue to break away from their normal anchorage at an unprecedented rate, I'm worried.Quite chilling, really.

Well there's hope. It is still worth doing our bit.However insignificant this may seem in the whole scheme of things. One thing we can do is look at the choices when we come to buy a new car.There is a bewildering array of new environmentally-friendly cars available which can save you money ,and make you feel better about the environment.You just need some information to sort it all out.
The Green Car Guide will help as a resource of much free information.
You can start with some Free Money-Saving Tips for motorists.

Back to the Future

Last time,before Christmas, I was waxing lyrical about the Tesla Roadster a futuristic and, for most of us, quite unattainable environmentally-friendly supercar.

Well, almost as unattainable is the BMW Hydrogen 7.Apparently,while it almost performs like a normal 7 series car ,there are vastly more differences than similarities under the hood. It is not a regular car for today.The technology works ,but hydrogen to fuel it is not readily available.In the long term,the solution may lie elswhere for the future low emission car which will be in everyday use by the people.

Returning to reality and affordablity,we can look to the many other developments going on to reduce CO2 emissions ,and improve fuel efficiency.Of immediate benefit seems to be to work at the options for using new materials making for lighter car construction, and the advances in biofuel technology.In 2007, we should continue to see more and better environmentally-friendly cars available to buy.

Is This The Ultimate Green Dream car?

A few weeks ago the Tesla Roadster was featured at the Green Car Guide
Of course nothing is the 'ultimate'.Something else always comes along to takes its place.
But the Tesla is worthy of a look. Green and sexy as I've said before may seem to many to be contradictory terms to say of any car. This electric car is mighty cool.

• It has a top speed of over 130 mph with 0-60 in 4 seconds
• Has a range of 250 miles on a single charge of its lithium ion battery pack
  
• Works with only two forward gears and no clutch
  
• Can be modified to run on solar power!
• Only needs its first service at 100,000 miles, for breaks and tyres

There are perhaps some drawbacks with this current model.Though being built in the UK, it will be available in late 2007, but only in the US. Also, the price tag is expected to be in the region of $100,000. The next generation of Tesla is likely to be more of family saloon. The development of these groundbreaking cars is worth following. I shall be doing just that.
In the meantime,I shall also be looking at the many other emerging environmentally-friendly cars which are also impressive, currently available in the UK, and much better suited to my pocket!

That Time of Year Again,Green Cars and Jeremy Clarkson

Today I was reminded it was nearly that time again.Christmas.My young nephew is being unusually attentive and well behaved.What to buy him for Christmas.One of those Christmas DVDs,perhaps, where they shoot-up defenceless and perfectly good motor cars merely because they are designed to be environmentally-friendly.Or, maybe ,I'll just buy him a realistic-looking toy machine gun so he can stretch his imagination to destroying his own cars.Well,I have decided ,in the boy's best interests, not to buy either of the above gift ideas.

But,I digress.What I can't understand is why the terms 'green' and 'sexy'are always
looked by many commentators on matters motoring to be contradictory.The latest green cars are fun,stylish and good for the planet.To expand on what I am driving at, allow
me to ask Paul Clarke founder of the Green-Car-Guide to help me out here.

More green motoring taxes in the next Budget

Gordon Brown’s pre-Budget report says that fuel duty is going up 1.25p per litre from midnight. Although the increase is only in line with inflation, he isn’t formally re-linking petrol prices to inflation, and the fuel duty escalator will not be restored. The last duty increase was three years ago.

Good news for Saab, Ford and others - tax discounts for biofuels will be extended. The report says that there will be “A package of measures to encourage the biofuels market and innovative types of biofuels.”

Also air passenger duty will increase from £5 to £10 for most flights (from February 2007), and stamp duty on some “carbon neutral” new homes could be scrapped.

Green-Car-Guide says :"Watch out for more similar announcements following the government’s Stern review, which set out the case for using taxation to encourage people to behave in a more environmentally-friendly way."

The lowest MoT emissions reading ever recorded –
and it was from a rally car!

Early last October,the MoT testing station had to check their equipment when a rally car turned up and their emissions testing equipment couldn’t register any emissions at all. But this was no ordinary rally car – this was the Oaktec Honda Insight. This is a petrol-electric hybrid vehicle, and to make it even more green, it now runs on E85, ie. 85% bioethanol and 15% petrol. By significantly over-revving the car, the testing centre finally managed to record a result for the emissions, but they said it was the lowest emissions reading they had ever recorded.

The official emissions of the Insight are 85g/km CO2 – the lowest of any production car in the UK (since the model was discontinued in the UK no other conventional car has yet come close to these sub-100g/km emission levels). However running on E85 should mean that the emissions drop by around a further 20%.

And just to prove that green cars don’t have to be slow, the Insight won its Formula 1000 class in the rallies it competed in during this season.

The car was available to the UK’s motoring journalists to try out for themselves at the Millbrook Proving Ground this week. The team’s two cars were on display, one of which was available to be driven, and Paul Andrews, the man behind the project and the driver of the rally car, treated journalists to a high speed demonstration of the capabilities in the other car around Millbrook’s high speed circuit.

An interesting difference between the two cars was that the main rally car has a CVT gearbox, whereas the car that is closer to production car form has the standard manual gearbox. This manual gearbox was designed for maximum fuel economy in the production car, however because of this the gear ratios are spread far apart and the entire Millbrook route was driven in just first and second gear – exactly the experience Paul had on rallies. Therefore the manual gearbox was substituted for the CVT in the rally car which provided much better results – in fact it was 20 seconds faster over a 3.5 mile stage, which in rallying terms, is a lifetime!

Oaktec, in conjunction with Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), have also been doing significant research work on the hybrid system, and are optimising the way in which the electric motor stores and delivers power, and linking this in with the car’s engine management system. In practical terms this means that more charge is extracted from braking, and more assist is provided when accelerating. Developments of this system in America have resulted in Insights delivering over 100mpg. At the end of the morning session at Millbrook, the Oaktec Insight’s onboard fuel economy readout was registering over 62mpg, despite having been on high speed test all morning.

In partnership with Energy Efficient Motorsport (EEMS), the Oaktec Honda Insight rally car is pioneering a greener future for motorsport. Formula 1 cars will be going down the hybrid route in 2009 – which will be a further showcase proving that cars can be green and sexy at the same time.



For more information about Energy Efficient Motorsport (EEMS), visit the EEMS w website or green-car-guide

How to Save Money (and the Environment) by choosing the Best Environmentally-friendly Car for you

Want to save money on the increasing costs of fuel?

Green-car-Guide provides clear and independent information to car buyers about the most environmentally-friendly cars to buy.

View the greenest cars by category so you can find a car that will cost you least at the pumps and will have least environmental impact, but will be most suitable for you – and your budget.

With declining oil production, rising petrol prices, worsening worldwide energy shortages and increasing environmental pressures, the environmental performance of cars is at long last becoming more of a big issue for manufacturers and the public. Green-car-guide keeps you updated about the latest industry developments and the best opportunities to help you save money.

Green-Car-Guide is for anyone who wants to buy a car and wants to know which are the most environmentally-friendly choices; for people who like cars but who don’t like filling them with expensive fuel all the time, and for people who care about our environment but who don’t believe they should feel guilty for thinking that cars are a useful idea! This site is designed to inform you about cars that are green and fun.

Huge increase to London Congestion Charge
confirmed for high emission cars

It’s now official that there will be huge rises in the London Congestion Charge for high emission vehicles. Cars in band G (which emit more than 225g of CO2 per kilometre) will rise to £25 – but not until 2009.

And if you live in the zone and have a band G car, the current 90% residents’ discount will disappear.

Cars in bands A and B, which produce emissions less than 120g CO2 per kilometre, will be completely exempt – from 2008. Remember that currently the only new cars on sale in the UK in band A (less then 100g/CO2) are electric cars (the now discontinued Honda Insight emits just 85g/km – perhaps this will now become a green collectors’ piece...).

Most cars, in band C, D and E will be unaffected and will continue to pay the £8 per day rate, which rose from the previous level of £5 in July.
If you have
However! The system is only likely to result in higher charges for higher emission band G cars registered after 23 March 2006. So more older high emission vehicles may therefore be seen on the streets...

Although the £25 band G charge is to start in 2009, mayor Ken Livingstone has asked Transport for London (TfL) to examine the possibilities of it being introduced before then.

Green-Car-Guide Comment:
“This increase was predicted, and now here it is. As our Green-Car-Guide e-book shows, there are some larger cars with low emissions, but not many. The rewards are increasingly there for manufacturers who are prepared to develop cars that are practical, stylish, desirable AND with low emissions – whatever your opinion about it, Toyota’s Prius IS a success – let’s see other manufacturers offering more mainstream cars with high mpg technologies.”

If you have one,why not air your view here?

Low Emission Cars

Articles and Comment about Cars Aired for a Better Environment



Why should you consider buying a greener car?

1. Save money – on fuel


The price of petrol and diesel is rising all the time, and the forecasts predict that it will continue to do so. There are hundreds of cars out there to choose from; depending on your choice, you could end up with a car that averages 25 miles per gallon or 50 miles per gallon – in other words you could slash your fuel bills in half by choosing the right vehicle.

2. Save money – on taxes

• Road tax
The most recent budget was a taste of things to come – cars with the highest emissions will continue to become heavily penalised, and cars with the lowest emissions will be rewarded with zero or low rate tax.

More about road tax

• Company car tax
Company car tax rates are following the same theme as road tax – the higher the emissions, the higher the tax; this can have a significant effect on the amount of tax company car drivers have to pay. Use this site to choose a car that can save you hundreds of pounds on your on your tax bill.

• Congestion charge
Low emission vehicles are currently exempt from London’s Congestion Charge. For people who have to drive in the centre of London on a regular basis, this can help save significant amounts of money per year. And congestion charging is being considered in many other parts of the country.

3. Save the environment
Cars are getting cleaner, however due the increase in car usage they are still seen as a key contributor to climate change due to their carbon dioxide emissions. By choosing a car with lower emissions you can help to play your part in the fight against climate change – which is agreed by scientist worldwide as being the greatest threat to our planet.

29th October 2006

For information to help the UK motorist make an informed choice about environmentally-friendly cars, and save money on fuel and running costs you need to go to Green-car-guide.com

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