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

Copyright (c) 2006-2008.CFM(Services) Limited.All rights reserved.

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.

Copyright (c) CFM(Services)Limited.All rights reserved.

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.

Copyright (c)2007.CFM(Services)Limited.All rights reserved.

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.
We value your privacy ,and will not allow your information to be used other than to update you.We hate spam!

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.

Copyright (c) 2006-2008 CFM (Services)Limited.All rights reserved

How to Beat the Congestion Charge(potentially) and Save on Fuel Costs without resorting to buying a Boring Bare-Bones Car

Take a SEAT in the Ibiza Ecomotive and experience sporty style motoring with economy.

From an RRP of just £10,995 , you can get a tax saving, potentially charge busting, sub-100g/km CO2 emissions,high mpg, and well equipped motor car.

As standard this three-cylinder 1.4 turbo-diesel is fitted with air conditioning,state-of-the-art diesel particulate filter, low rolling resistance 14" tyres, extra smooth redesigned five-speed gear box,speed-sensitive hydraulic power steering, steering wheel mounted MP3-compatible single disc CD/radio, electric front windows...

Worth taking a look ,this economical SEAT is available for delivery in early April of next year.
This newcomer is said to be expected to make a big impact among buyers eager to minimise their carbon footprint, but are unwilling to pay the earth for their next car.
Further details can be obtained from the SEAT web site

Why the Smart car's been sent to Coventry

An early green Christmas present of a fully electric version of the Smart has been delivered to Coventry City Council.

The iconic car is the first of 100 cars to be delivered as part of a UK-based market trial for the introduction of a fully electric version of the popular two-seater (smart ed).

The car will be made available on a lease arrangement to selected UK corporate customers. It sets a new benchmark in the electric vehicle sector; it has 30kW output and a top speed of 60 mph. It offers nippy in-town performance with 0-30 mph in 6.5 seconds. With a range of up to 70 miles, the smart ed is exempt from vehicle excise duty and congestion charge.

Coventry City Council will be using the electric smart within their fleet of pool vehicles. This facility allows employees to leave their cars at home when they travel to work, but to still have access to a vehicle for business journeys.

Dermot Kelly, Managing Director Mercedes-Benz Cars, said: “This market trial is an important part of our commitment to sustainable mobility and the first car to be delivered is a significant milestone for smart and Mercedes-Benz Cars.”

Cllr Gary Ridley, Cabinet member for Climate Change, Housing and Sustainability said, "The Council is proud to be the first owner of the new electric smart and is glad to be part of the drive for new cleaner and greener technologies in cars. To make its running costs even greener, the electricity used to recharge the car is from renewable resources. As the biggest employer in the city, we should be leading by example and encouraging other businesses to think about their carbon footprint and their impact on their environment while carrying out their day to day activities."

The smart ed emits no carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbons, particulate matter or any harmful substance – in fact it emits nothing at all. It retains all the safety equipment you would find on a regular smart, so unlike other electric cars, a smart ed has ESP, ABS brakes two airbags and seatbelt pre-tensioners.

In terms of practicality, the car has its own charger on board, which means it can be plugged directly into any UK mains 3 pin plug socket to recharge. A meter on the dash swivels through 90 degrees so it is possible to see the state of battery charge

This market trial is supported by Cenex, the UK’s first national Centre of Excellence for low carbon and fuel cell technologies. Cenex is a project partner and will be assisting in the field trial phase of the project.

The drive train for the smart ed is produced in the UK by technology partner, Zytek Group, who undertake final assembly of the smart ed in Fradley, near Lichfield.

BMW stand-out winners of the Greenest Car Manufacturer of the Year Award

Towards the end of this current eventful year of outstanding progress in green car manufacturing, it is fitting that Green-Car-Guide.com, itself having successfully made great strides in its own development, should make the Award to a manufacturer, in these terms:"we feel there is one manufacturer in particular who deserves special credit for making an amazing effort to bring more efficient cars to market, across a range of models... In the January 2008 version, available on our site today, the same manufacturer has an incredible 12 cars in the guide out of a total of 68." That outstanding manufacturer is BMW.

Commenting on the award, Mark Harrison, BMW’s Corporate Communications Manager, said: “BMW is very proud of our EfficientDynamics technologies. The successes of both our BMW and MINI brands are built on the fact that they are great to drive, rewarding to own, and have strong design and engineering foundations. It is vital for both us, and many UK car buyers, that our environmental developments do not reduce those values. As a company, we have been working on hydrogen power, fuel-efficient engines and the introduction of lightweight technologies for over 20 years. The recent introduction of EfficientDynamics features brings our work to today's roads. It offers fuel consumption and emissions levels comparable to, and in some cases better than, today's hybrids, but retains the dynamic qualities that one would expect of both BMWs or MINIs. We are pleased that Green-Car-Guide.com has recognised our work and we are committed to remaining as a leading car manufacturer in the battle to reduce emissions and fuel consumption.”

Roll-on 2008!

About itself the Green-Car-Guide.com said:"For ourselves, 2007 has been a phenomenal year. Our site was only launched in September 2006, but in the last year we’ve been on TV, on the radio, worked with a variety of the national media, we’ve given talks about green cars at numerous events around the UK, and we’ve had around one million page views of our site."

To view a sustainable Christmas greeting from Promote, the company behind Green-Car-Guide.com, click here

May I also add my Sincere Best Wishes to You All: Seasons Greetings.I Wish You a Very Happy and Sustainable New Year

The agile Vauxhall Agila will fit in at 120g/km CO2 emissions







This is one to watch for in 2008. Vauxhall’s New Agila will offer low emissions and a low price when it arrives in showrooms in April.

Available to order from early next year, the compact newcomer benefits from CO2 figures of just 120g/km on both the entry-level petrol and diesel engines, meaning it will fall into VED Band B – the cost of a tax disc being just £35 a year.

The Agila is small enough to be manoeuvrable into tight parking spaces, but has five doors, five full-size seats and good luggage space.

The tall roofline provides a spacious feel and a high seating position, making it easy to get in and out, and helping with good visibility.

The Agila has an all-new chassis, three new engines and an automatic gearbox will be available for the first time. Petrol units include a 1.0-litre three-cylinder unit developing 65PS and an 85PS 1.2, the latter of which will be available with optional automatic transmission. Vauxhall’s 75PS 1.3CDTi diesel will also be on offer.

The Agila will cost from only £7,595. Three trim levels will be on offer, all with good levels of standard equipment, plus a versatile interior layout.

The rear seat backs can be folded down to create a completely flat load floor on all but the entry-level model, providing a luggage capacity of 1050 litres.

Detail provided by Green Car Guide

Also, if you missed them you can scroll down two posts for the Top 10 Best Green Cars or click here

Volvo invests in Green Forestry to reduce carbon emissions








It seems ,contrary to what we might think,all is not green in the forest. By way of a sort of Christmas related story ,I include this item, not about a car though but a green vehicle. The Volvo Group, once renowned for building 'clunky' cars before selling its cars division to Ford, has bought into the producer of the El-forest forwarder which is the world's first forestry machine that uses energy efficient electric-hybrid technology.

The El-forest forwarder is designed to reduce carbon emissions by cutting fuel consumption by one-half. Volvo will help this innovative equipment into service much quicker. The first forwarder will be delivered next year to the state-owned Sveaskog -
Sweden's largest forest owner.

And the Christmas connection? Well, looking at the picture above, a caption could perhaps be added, something like : "Hey,be careful! That could be my Christmas tree."



(c)copyright 2007 CFM Services Limited.All rights reserved.

Green Car Guide 10 of the Best

I thought you would like a list of the cars considered at this time to be the best green cars by the Green Car Guide. The cars have been chosen for their environmentally friendly credentials.

The Mini Cooper diesel (shown above) comes in at number 2 on the list. Top slot goes to (you may have guessed) the best selling Toyota Prius. So which came third? The list includes:

• 2 electric cars
• 2 petrol-electric hybrids
• 2 cars capable of running on petrol or bio-ethanol
• 2 petrol cars
• and 2 diesels

You can see them here

G-Wiz!GoinGreen's going even better with the G-Wiz i

GoinGreen, the leader in the UK electric vehicle (EV) market, announces the arrival of the G-Wiz i, the most advanced variant of this iconic EV. GoinGreen launched the emission-free G-Wiz dc drive in London in May 2004 and in June 2006 introduced the G-Wiz ac drive and now there is the G-Wiz i, which benefits from improvements in safety, comfort and performance.

The G-Wiz i has an increased top speed certified at 50mph and a range of up to 48 miles per charge but what really marks the G-Wiz i from other electric vehicles is its swift acceleration to 30mph (60% quicker than its nearest competitor). This superior torque enables the G-Wiz i to easily keep up with London traffic and to cope with hills. The G-Wiz i is also upgradeable to high-performance lithium-ion batteries, which are designed to increase range significantly.

After extensive customer feedback Reva Electric Car Company (RECC), the manufacturer of the G-Wiz, has collaborated with GoinGreen in creating this new generation G-Wiz and the key points are:

Safety - working with Lotus Engineering, RECC has introduced a new safety package to the G-Wiz i, frontal crash tested at 25mph city speed. Safety features include front and side impact protection, a strengthened space frame, a collapsible steering column, a hill rolling restraint feature and new front disc brakes that deliver a 30% improvement in braking performance.
Comfort - the advanced ac drivetrain results in extra power but more smoothly, whilst the new roomier cabin layout and a curved windshield provides a more comfortable driving position and improved vision.
Performance - the G-Wiz has always been small and nippy making it ideal for congested urban roads. With its tiny turning circle and superior torque the G-Wiz i is so easy to manoeuvre, simple to park and fun to drive.

The G-Wiz i has a colour-impregnated and fully recyclable body; standard colours include marine blue, lightning silver or deep black. A range of extras includes a DAB radio / CD with mp3 player input and climate control seats. It comes with a two-year warranty, one-year roadside recovery and a choice of service packages. The 2+2 seat G-Wiz is in the lowest insurance group and is exempt from the London congestion charge and on top of all this, the fuel bill for a year’s electricity will cost less than the price of a tank of petrol (£40-50).

Prices start at £8,895 inc VAT. GoinGreen is taking orders now for February 2008 delivery.
www.goingreen.co.uk

Eco-friendly ( no CO2 emissions) solar charger from FreeLoader

Today,I am digressing from my usual patch. I have come across something which you may find very useful.

So,what do you buy a person for Christmas who apparently has everything already?Well,if they have most things already, they will have the accessories of life including the iPod, mobile phone, SPS ,and so on. But what if these gadgets run out of power,what then? They probably do not have a ready supply of power with which to recharge all their toys and things,say,when they are out on the road or otherwise travelling.

This is where the Free...Loader Portable Solar Energy Charger can come in.

This gift, about the size of a mobile phone , can be silently soaking up the sun in a convenient corner in your car as you drive, glove shelf perhaps, or elsewhere and when loaded it can deliver the power ,for example, required for upto 44 hours for the mobile phone,and for the PDA upto 22 hours. The FreeLoader comes in two colours pink and silver (but not green,I'm afraid as it is already considered green enough!), and is supplied with a variety of gadgets.
And,here's the clever part, though not quite as green, if the sun is not out there are two more options to use this recharger. Firstly,you can USB the charger to your computer.Or,secondly, you can simply put in some batteries and recharge from the charger that way. All options make the FreeLoader a very portable asset. At £29.95 this travel kit could be an essential for motorists.For further details you can go to the Fireboxwebsite

The bio-powered Saab 9-3 revisited





On June 24th this year,we first looked at the introduction of more powerful and economical diesel and petrol into the Saab 9-3 range,and the availability of the BioPower flex-fuel engine.The latter capable of delivering 200hp running on bioethanol E 85 fuel (or any blend from 0-85% of the bio-fuel with petrol).

Revisiting this greener model, the Green Car Guide has this to say, "Saab has recently refreshed the styling of its entire 9-3 range, with a new front end inspired by the Aero X concept car, complete with ‘eyebrow lighting’ above the headlights. This makes the iconic Convertible even more appealing, and with the BioPower option, you can even claim that you have a green car – and a sexy one at that. But is it really green, and does it drive as well as it looks?"

There is still a debate out there about competition for the use of crops -food or fuel?Also the the ready availability of the bioethanol fuel is still some way off. There are still only 15 outlets selling this fuel in the UK and they are all owned by Morrisons. Of course ,increased demand for the bio-powered car would increase the investment given over to fuel distribution. On the competing use issue, there appears to be no one solution to bringing down CO2 emissions from cars to required levels to help reduce the rate of climate change. Whether it is hydrogen,hybrid technology,electricity,or super efficient petrol and diesel powered cars, there is probably in the balance of things a place for biofuels.

For more information on this sleek stylish car, you can click here for a road test report.

• Fuel economy extra urban: 42.8mpg

• Fuel economy urban: 23.9mpg

• CO2 emissions: 232 g/km

• Green rating: Band F - £190

• Weight: 1585 Kg

• Company car tax liability (2007): 32%

• Price: £30,360 (From £25,975 to £34,495)

• Insurance group: 15

• Safety: NCAP 5 star

• Max speed: 140 mph (manual)

• 0-60mph: 7.9 seconds (manual)

Fiat 500 Voted Car of the Year 2008

Launched in July and promising to be the most eagerly awaited car for many a year, the Fiat 500 scooped the top award as Car of the Year 2008 when ,this month, 57 out of 58 specialist journalists on an international panel from 22 European countries voted for the super-compact. Auto Express, the car news weekly, in its list of New Cars for 2008 places the 500 at the top of its 10 Most wanted, ahead of the Jaguar XF at number 2.Described as 'retro without being kitsch...fresh,funky and fantastic to drive' ,the 500 is destined to go places.

The Green Car Guide says that 'Fiat has announced prices of the eagerly-awaited new Fiat 500, which goes on sale in the UK in January.

'And the good news is that prices start at just £7,900. At the top end of the range, a highly specified version with a larger engine costs only £10,700 – including air conditioning and alloy wheels as standard.

'The 500 is available with a choice of three Euro 5-ready engines: 69 bhp 1.2-litre and 100 bhp 1.4-litre petrol, or 75 bhp 1.3-litre MultiJet turbodiesel. The base 1,242cc petrol engine returns 55 mpg economy and emits 119g/km of CO2. The 1.3 Multijet diesel can manage 67.3 mpg on the combined cycle and CO2 emissions of 111g/km.

'The 500 can be ordered in three different trim levels – Pop, Sport and Lounge. Standard equipment in the entry-level Pop includes ABS anti-lock brakes with EBD, driver, passenger, side and driver’s knee airbags, radio/CD/MP3 player, power steering, electric mirrors, colour coded bumpers and chrome-plated door handles. The options list includes ESP, glass sunroof, metallic paint and parking sensors.

'Sport and Lounge versions start at £9,300, while specifying a larger engine in any trim level adds £1,400. Standard equipment on both Sport and Lounge versions includes the Blue & MeTM hands-free media system, air conditioning and 15” alloy wheels. Sport specification includes a rear roof spoiler, fog lights, sports interior and dark tinted rear windows, while Lounge trim includes a split, folding rear seat and fixed glass roof.

The Fiat 500 goes on sale through Fiat’s 162-strong UK dealer network in January 2008.'

Copyright (c) 2006-2007 CFM (Services)Limited.All Rights Reserved.

Honda offers a solution with FCX Clarity

At the Los Angeles International Motor Show this month, Honda have unveiled their FCX Clarity hyrogen fuel-cell powered car, with plans to begin a limited marketing of the vehicle next summer.

The FCX Clarity is described by Honda as ' a next-generation, zero-emission, hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle based on an entirely new Honda V Flow fuel cell platform, and powered by the highly compact, efficient and powerful Honda V Flow fuel cell stack. Featuring tremendous improvements to driving range, power, weight and efficiency – and boasting a low-slung, dynamic and sophisticated appearance, previously unachievable in a fuel cell vehicle – the FCX Clarity marks the significant progress Honda continues to make in advancing the real-world performance and appeal of the hydrogen-powered fuel cell car.'

The vehicle's only emission is water!

The plan is to introduce the FCX Clarity into service by a leasing scheme to a limited number of consumers in Southern California,US in the summer of 2008. Presumably, if this works out ,production will be stepped upto to meet market demand. As mentioned previously, a restriction on use will be the current limited availablity of refuelling facilities. One solution, in a recent post here on lec ,is the home generation unit ,also being developed by Honda.(see 16th November 2007)

This latest generation has other ground-breaking features for the driving comfort of the driver, using advanced materials technology to produce,for example , a new eco-friendly bio-fabric ,for the upholstery and door linings,with remarkable stretch and fit qualities.Furthermore,
Honda say you can expect:

* a 20 per cent increase in fuel economy (about 2-3 times the fuel economy of a petrol-powered car, and 1.5 times that of a petrol-electric hybrid vehicle, of comparable size and performance);
* a 30 per cent increase in vehicle range – to 270 miles (approximately 430 km);
* a 120 per cent improvement in power-to-weight ratio, in part due to around a 400-pound (approximately 180kg) reduction in the fuel cell powertrain weight, despite a substantial increase in overall vehicle size;
* a 45 per cent reduction in the size of the fuel cell powertrain – nearly equivalent, in terms of volume, to a modern petrol-electric hybrid powertrain;
* an advanced new lithium-ion battery pack that is 40 per cent lighter and 50 per cent smaller than the current-generation FCX’s ultracapacitor;
* a single 5,000-psi hydrogen storage tank with 10 per cent additional hydrogen capacity than the previous model

Images and other Honda press material can be seen at the Honda (UK)
media web site

Carmakers now producing a better shade of green

When looking at the green credentials of carmakers, we usually go for the absolute performance of a particular model in terms of CO2 emissions. For example,this car is a sub 100g/km,...or that car is within the limit for congestion charge exemption, and so on. Often we lose sight of the improvements in relative performance and emissions control won in recent years, employing the new technologies developed for body-styling,tyres,engine-types,fuels,
gears, brake systems ...the list is long.

Last week the weekly car magazine, Auto Express, featured the results of a survey conducted by the Clean Green Cars website.This showed which cars really had become cleaner and greener during the first nine months of this year compared to the same period in 2006. Apparently, not all the brands surveyed had improved ,Suburu (6%) and Audi (3%) being noted for some average increase in CO2 emissions. A table of the 10 leading 'reducer' manufacturers was reproduced in the magazine showing the BMW-owned MINI, with 17.1% average decrease in such emissions, at the top. At the bottom ,with 3%, was Hyundai. The MINI range of cars had reduced its CO2 output from an average 182g/km to 151g/km. A significant amount of CO2 still, but a large improvement.

Copyright (c) 2007 CFM(Services) Limited.All rights reserved.

Honda Home-in on a Solution for the Shortage of Hydrogen

How strange to be talking about the shortage of hydrogen! This is one of the few elements in almost limitless abundance on our planet,though it's more often found as a part of water. But for the upcoming generation of hydrogen cars having a ready supply of the gas in the right places for re-fuelling is of course essential if elusive.The demand for a gas distribution system is new. Honda with a vested interest in this are working hard to provide the solution.

The home ,it seems, is where the answer lies. Honda are experimenting with a home generation kit ,which will also avoid the need to use electricity grid supply for the home heating and other domestic use. Natural gas is used in the Home Energy Station IV to generate the fuel both for the hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle and domestic heat and light requirements.

This fourth-generation unit is being 'road tested' in California and

“Honda is striving to address the need for a refuelling infrastructure for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles,” said Ben Knight, vice-president of Honda R&D Americas. “The Home Energy Station represents one promising solution to this issue, while offering the added benefit of heating and powering the home more efficiently.”

So here we are looking at a solution that can reduce CO2 emissions by 30% and save energy costs by 50% for the homeowner who switches from using conventional grid supply and driving a petrol-powered car. Honda claims the current unit, over the first unit produced for test in 2003, is 70% more compact making it a feasible proposition for installation as a dometic appliance.

As usual we shall continue to watch these groundbreaking developments as they move ,hopefully,from the experimental testbed into the home.

All we need now is the commercially produced hydrogen-powered car to take advantage of the refuelling lifeline.More of this tomorrow with the all-new FCX Clarity which had its debut at the Los Angeles Motor Show.

Discover how to Save Money on motoring costs…

…and feel really good about saving the Environment!

We'd all would like to save money, wouldn't we?If you accept this premise, and the fact that buying a 'green' car as your next purchase is not going to condemn you to a life of mundanity and ridicule, then have I got news for you!

The world of motoring is moving on at a cracking pace of change. Fuel consumption is coming down for so many new cars being launched, many of which are leaving behind the more excessive effects of the environment choking CO2 emission internal engine. There are leaner and meaner petrol and diesels, hybrids ,and all electric cars on the market,and soon there will be hydrogen cars. And as to savings? Well ,you can now see dramatically reduced petrol fuel consumption, congestion charge exemption, dramatically reduced road tax, and the admiration of your friends and neighbours, as a realistic aspiration from choosing an environmentally-friendly car as your next set of wheels. Did I mention style? This is in abundance with the current generation of green clean cars. Design, coupled with the development of materials technology ,is producing the most amazing production cars,and if the manufacturers concepts are anything to go by this will only get better and better.

You need to keep an eye on these developments that will so affect your future living conditions.
There is probably no better way of doing this than to invest a modest amount-just £4.95- to purchase the Green Car Guide. In November's issue you can obtain details of the UK's most economical cars in 10 different categories. The current month is also covering diesels with a particulate filter to dramatically reduce emissions into the atmosphere. For full details click here.

Wash n' green-up after Tokyo Motor Show

Well,was it a Honda clean sweep? Or did Toyota come away with the green credentials with its low emission concepts and imminent production models?

The Sunday Times suggests Honda are ahead by a nose with a surprise announcement of having a production hydrogen car for sale next year in America and Japan- the cost (£50,000)will be less than for many current conventional family saloons on the market.This puts them upto 20 years ahead in terms of what was generally expected.The big question,however,is where will you fill it up? Honda is content to say that if there is demand for the new fuel, distributors will make it available to meet the demand.

In the other corner, the other manufacturing heavyweight,Toyota, was banking on electricity to drive its ultra low CO2 emission and low cost runner.Flagged as better than the Prius,the Toyota prototype on test and planned to be on sale in 2009, will most probably be eventually fitted with lithium-ion batteries that are more compact and lighter than its nickel-hydride test kit. Honda ,though,is not convinced that further development of hybrid models is anything more than 'an expensive sideshow'.

We are just going to have to wait and see.But now,it is likely that we are not to be kept waiting too long.

Other 'greening'carmakers were also at the show,of course-Mazda,Mitshubishi,Suburu and Suzuki were there, as were Volvo and BMW. Notably,Mitshubishi are intent to launch its MiEV Sport electric vehicle in Britain by 2009, reports the Sunday Times.

Look-out for the Honda Puyo,Volvo Recharge,Nissan Pivo2,VW Space UP!,and the Mazda Premacy RE hydrogen hybrid (a leasing project initially restricted to Norway commencing next year).The Toyota RIN,Ford Verve,Honda FCX etc...but for New Cars Out Now click here