Clean Vehicles

Chevrolet Volt hooks up with DJ and Broadcaster Jo Whiley

admin — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:42:16 +0000

In a new series of videos for the Chevrolet Volt, DJ and Broadcaster Jo Whiley is taking some of the top green innovators in the UK out for a spin in the Volt to talk about the future of green technology. The core of the series discusses how innovation and creative thinking is necessary for the design that supports green technology to be created. For this reason, it is only natural that Wayne Hemmingway kicks off the series, given that he is known for his creativity on the runway with his ‘Red or Dead’ fashion label.

Sustainable fashion is not the only thing that Hemmingway has worked on however; as he also has worked with sustainable housing materials and is known for some ground breaking green housing projects. It turns out that Hemmingway has also dabbled in the world of electric cars as he also told Wiley about his own work on crafting a battery powered car decades ago.

He explains that he was looking through magazines and back in the day they were very science fiction looking, and did not look a thing like normal cars that one might choose to drive. However, he went on to say that today major innovative car companies such as Chevrolet are changing the mode of transportation and motoring to become something new and exciting, taking extra steps to create designs that make electric car engineering the daily norm.

While most of the focus is on the conversation during the video, if you take a peak around the car while they are riding you can see that his statements are true as the car is spacious and welcoming. In addition, the outside shots show that the Volt is just another car, another car that happens to run on completely sustainable power making it a standout in its class.

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Clean vehicles drive better

admin — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 16:59:47 +0000

Clean vehicles drive better; it’s true. Now we don’t mean clean here in the sense of a hydrogen powered car or hybrids, or even electrical cars or any of the other eco cars UK buyers are looking for in increasing numbers these days – though of course you should be buying those if you can afford them, for the sake of the environment.

Instead, what we’re talking about here is simply cars that are cleaner. You know; washed, waxed and polished.

How does that make the car drive better you ask?

Here’s how; if you’ve cleaned your car really thoroughly, the last thing you want to do is get it dirtied up again. This has the psychological effect of making you drive far more conservatively and carefully.

This is particularly true if you’ve done the hard work yourself rather than paying some wage slave to do the graft for you.

But it goes further than that. Once you’ve got it really clean, you find you want to take care of your car better in other ways. So what do you do? You get those niggling little things fixed that you’ve been meaning to. You have the car serviced. Perhaps you change the oil, the oil and air filters yourself. Maybe you invest in new tyres. Whatever; all in all, you start to care for your car far more because you’ve put the initial effort in in cleaning it yourself.

If your car looks a little beyond redemption, never mind. Wash it thoroughly, colour cut the paintwork with a slightly abrasive wax, then wax polish it – and use special glass cleaners on the window and black bumper polish etc. on any black vinyl trim – as well as wheel cleaner depending on what sort your wheels are. Now stand back and admire your handiwork, but far more interestingly – watch the psychological effect it has on you – and see how your car gradually begins to drive so much better because it’s clean!

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Warren Buffett’s clean vehicle investment

admin — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 17:20:18 +0000

Back in 2008, the clean vehicle world was given an electric jolt when it was revealed that the world’s greatest ever investor, Warren Buffett, had made his own major investment in low emission cars.

Buffett, advised by his legendary partner, Charlie Munger, took a stake in Hong-Kong listed company BYD, a leading Chinese maker of rechargeable batteries that moved into the car industry several years before.

Warren Buffett’s investment company, Berkshire Hathaway, made what was deemed a “significant” investment in the company.

Now this was somewhat out of character. Buffett more usually invests in out-of-favour, run of the mill type companies, where the value has been beaten down to bargain levels. So this was very much a departure. Perhaps the great investing pair saw the future in electric and hybrid cars?

Whatever the reason, the investment initially fared well, but has since faltered badly.

BYD’s shares have fallen from a peak of HK$80 to a recent low of just HK$10. Buffett is still in profit – he paid just HK$8 for the shares, but so far, the investment hasn’t done as well as most of his others.

That may be about to change though. Recently, the shares have rallied to around HK$15 on news that BYD has opened an American headquarters in Los Angeles. This may be because the company is shifting focus into other areas of business – possibly due to advice by the great man himself. Time will tell.

BYD’S F3 compact car was China’s best-selling vehicle during 2009, but sales fell the following year – along with the company’s profits and share price. BYD is now in eighth position in China’s car makers’ league by sales volume. Also, BYD’s plans to sell an all-electric car by the year 2010, the E6, in the USA have suffered various delays and setbacks. The company now says that the vehicle won’t be on sale to American customers for another 18 months or more, due to the country’s lack of recharging infrastructure for electric vehicles.

But Buffett gets very few investments wrong, so BYD’s plans for world electric car dominance will certainly be interesting to monitor.

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Scania to supply ethanol buses for São Paulo

admin — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 09:27:09 +0000

São Paulo, in Brazil − with its many millions of inhabitants − is taking another step towards sustainable development. The city’s mayor, Gilberto Kassab, announced yesterday (25 November) that Scania ethanol buses will become part of the public transport system. The first 50 buses will go into service in May 2011.

“The use of ethanol as a vehicle fuel is the best example of what can be done here and now in sustainable development work. Ethanol accounts for 90 percent of the renewable fuel available in the world. By delivering ethanol buses to São Paulo, Scania is helping to strengthen Brazil’s leading position in reducing climate impact,” said Melker Jernberg, Senior Vice President and head of Scania Buses and Coaches.

There are a total of some 15,000 public transport buses in São Paulo. One official environmental target is that all such buses should operate on renewable fuels by no later than 2018.

“Since the supply of biogas is limited, ethanol will be the dominant biofuel. This means there is very large potential for Scania, which is the only manufacturer of heavy-duty buses with ethanol-powered engines,” according to Wilson Pereira, head of sales of Buses and Coaches at Scania Brasil.

Scania is receiving the ethanol bus order after a few years of field trials in São Paulo, coordinated by experts with links to the University of São Paulo and with participation by ethanol suppliers, bus bodybuilders, operators and São Paulo transport authorities.

“The initiative has shown that ethanol-powered buses are ready to operate in Brazil, immediately helping to replace the use of fossil fuel with a renewable source and offering a tremendous advantage in emission reduction,” says Wilson Pereira.

The new Scania buses will operate in São Paulo, where transport authority SPTrans is aiming at an initial fleet of 200 ethanol buses.

All buses will be manufactured in Brazil. Chassis assembly will take place at Scania’s production unit in São Paulo and bodywork will be done by a local company.

Brazil is the world’s largest producer of ethanol fuel and has long experience in producing and using biofuels in a sustainable way. The ethanol is made from cane sugar and has been used since the 1980s as fuel for cars and other vehicles with petrol-fuelled engines. Successful public policies on land management have allowed a steadily increasing output of bioenergy and other agricultural products, while deforestation rates in the Amazon are continuously decreasing.

Scania started to develop ethanol buses in the mid-1980s in close cooperation with the Stockholm regional public transport company Storstockholms Lokaltrafik (SL). Two decades of regular full-scale operation in tough urban conditions show that ethanol-power is a fully proven bus technology. There are no operational drawbacks as long as the scheduled maintenance requirements are followed. The buses are completely standard, using regular Scania components.

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Nissan LEAF to hit UK in March 2011

admin — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 15:55:26 +0000

Amid strong global demand for the world’s first affordable mass-produced, zero-emission vehicle, Nissan will open order books in the UK from 1st September.

The ordering process is a first step in securing a place on the list to receive the Nissan LEAF, and means Portuguese, Irish and UK customers will be first in line to receive the car in Europe. Nissan LEAF deliveries begin in Portugal in January, Ireland in February and UK in March 2011. Since March this year, more than 12,000 customers in Europe have signed up for regular updates on Nissan LEAF’s introduction, and in the US and Japan pre-orders have exceeded 23,000 units since online reservations began in April.

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Hybrid Cars Represent a Breakthrough in Cleaner Vehicles

admin — Wed, 26 May 2010 17:20:57 +0000

Environmentally-friendly vehicles such as the Honda CR-Z Hybrid are being increasingly used in our towns and cities as motorists take greater efforts to reduce their carbon emissions.

Hybrid cars are especially useful in urban areas where pollution tends to be more of a problem, and fortunately for drivers they are able to bridge the gap between excellent fuel economy and low carbon emissions. Furthermore, there’s no need to plug a hybrid car into a mains electricity supply in order to recharge its batteries.

The CR-Z Hybrid is among the most innovative hybrid vehicles available. Not only does it prove that a sporty hybrid is possible and deliverable, it shows that green cars can be fun, quick and exciting to drive. It has made a big impression since being unveiled in 2007, and developers attribute the vehicle’s success to its sports car appeal combined with its environmentally-friendly credentials. But how exactly does a hybrid vehicle work?

Well, the clue is in the name – cars such as the CR-Z Hybrid are powered using a combination of a petrol or diesel engine and an electric motor. Combining these two power sources efficiently is beneficial for the driver and the environment in terms of fuel economy and the lack of harmful emissions. Such forward-thinking technology is changing the face of motoring the UK, and as one of only two vehicle manufacturers selling hybrid cars, Honda is at the forefront of its development.

A hybrid car really comes into its own in an urban environment. The constant slowing down, accelerating and stop-starting is not good for conventional vehicles’ fuel consumption, and this is where you really notice the fuel economy benefits that a hybrid vehicle can deliver. What’s more, you needn’t worry about the lack of a dedicated electric recharging network – cars such as the CR-Z has its battery charged using the engine, meaning you can concentrate on your driving.

While hybrid vehicles do emit some emissions, they emit significantly less pollutants than conventional petrol and diesel cars. They’re also far quieter, meaning Britain can look forward to more peaceful roads in the not-too-distant future. If travelling at particularly slow speeds, hybrid cars are almost completely silent – something that has been known to confuse drivers of conventional vehicles suspecting that the car may have broken down.

What if you’re a family and you want to make the switch to a hybrid vehicle? Many households do – according to the Energy Saving Trust, if Britain changes its car-buying habits then emissions can be reduced by 25 per cent, and this is something families are increasingly taking notice of. And with 26 million cars on the road, it’s important to choose the right one for you and your family’s needs.

Many smaller households have been swayed by the Honda Insight Hybrid, a five-door hatchback that allows motorists to know whether they’re driving efficiently thanks to the innovative Eco Assist system. At the end of each journey drivers are provided with an ‘ECO score’, which over time will show how much money you’ve saved on fuel in addition to the emissions you’ve prevented from entering the atmosphere.

As the UK moves towards a low carbon economy, more families are learning that a hybrid vehicle will produce 25 per cent to 35 per cent less carbon dioxide than a conventional one. This is thanks to the second, battery-powered engine, and could explain why the Insight Hybrid was the best-selling vehicle in Japan in April last year. The car is also especially popular in London, where it is exempt from the capital’s Congestion Charge.

Vehicles such as the Insight Hybrid and CR-Z Hybrid are welcome additions to Britain’s automobile market. Unlike the majority of consumer products, which have tended to get smaller and more efficient, cars have, until recently, done precisely the opposite. On average, a car nowadays is 30 per cent heavier than in the 1970s, and only in the last few years have manufacturers started investing heavily in hybrid technology.

With the government having recognised the environmental benefits of hybrid vehicles, motorists embracing in the technology can look forward to a range of financial incentives by choosing to drive a vehicle such as the Insight Hybrid and CR-Z Hybrid. Not only are the cars exempt from the London Congestion Charge, but drivers can also expect to have significantly lower annual car tax bills.

A number of motorists have questioned why the automotive industry isn’t moving towards purely electric vehicles and is instead concentrating on hybrid vehicles. The answer lies in the fact that, in addition to a drive towards more environmentally-friendly technology, motorists are largely keen on retaining the petrol or diesel engine that they feel comfortable with.

Since the first hybrid car arrived in Europe ten years ago, the vehicles have gone to become extremely popular, despite some early scepticism. The future of the technology looks bright, so can we all expect to be behind the wheel of a hybrid vehicle in the near future? Well, this is looking increasingly likely. If you prefer a diesel engine, you’ll be pleased to know that the first diesel hybrid cars are in development, while hybrid vehicles are also getting faster – banishing any worries that they are slower and less fun to drive than conventional vehicles.

By utilising two different energy sources, hybrid cars have given themselves room for an improved driving performance. Some models are capable of going from zero to 60mph in seven seconds, while a greater torque can be produced compared to that of a petrol engine running in isolation.

While hybrid vehicles vary in terms of performance, sophistication, price and emissions, one thing can be sure: that all are more environmentally-friendly than their petrol equivalents and that the greatest environmental benefits can be found while driving in town and city centres.

What’s more, purchasing a hybrid car is an investment – not only can you look forward to reducing your carbon footprint, but you can look ahead to owning an eco-friendly vehicle that will have a much lower depreciation rate than a standard petrol car. If you’re part of a family looking to lower its carbon emissions or a motorist in the city, then the Insight Hybrid and CR-Z Hybrid may be right up your street.

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Sporty Hybrids Take the Auto Industry By Storm

admin — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 14:06:00 +0000

Innovation, sleek designs, comfort, advanced technical solutions, and efficiency are what make Honda Hybrid cars like the Honda Insight Hybrid stand out. Honda is known for the world’s first hydrogen/fuel-cell powered car, and is still the leading manufacturer. Honda’s authority on engineering supersedes so many others, so why would their authority on efficiency, innovation, brilliance and Hybrid technology be any different?

When thinking of a hybrid car, it’s not just great fuel efficiency, but more importantly, the low emissions hybrids are known for. Hybrid cars do have petrol engines, but the tank is much smaller and uses Honda’s innovative genius to reduce emissions and the use of fuel. The fuel tank is simply a energy storage device. The electric motor on a hybrid acts as a generator, drawing energy from the battery when it needs to. The generator is used to produce electrical power, which comes from the battery. This technology is standard for all of Honda’s Hybrids, from the Insight Hybrid to the Honda CR-Z Hybrid.

The Honda Insight, which was introduced in 1999, is one of the top-selling hybrid vehicles, and when you see the features it offers—on top of being a hybrid—you will understand why. The Econ Mode button controls the air conditioning unit, extends idle stop time, and increases regenerative recharging when you brake, making every drop of fuel count.

The Scoring function lets you know how you are driving. When you reach your destination, the scoring function will let you know your score, which is then added to your lifetime score. The higher the score, the more money you are saving. There is also a Guidance function that will change colors if you accelerate, letting you know you are using more fuel.

The Insight also has received five stars for their safety rating, which Honda always does, sets the benchmark for all hybrid cars.

The summer of 2010 will be the year the Honda hybrid takes on a new dimension with the new Honda CR-Z Hybrid Concept. Honda engineers have blended efficiency and sleek curves to seamlessly produce one of the world’s most desirable automobiles. Available in the UK from summer 2010, it’ll be the first hybrid to boast a 6-speed transmission.

So how much can be saved by driving a hybrid? Some consumers might be strapped for cash due to recent economic issues. But this shouldn’t stand in between them and a Honda hybrid. Consumers will be happy to know that the price of a hybrid vehicle can be offset by a tax credit. Some studies show that hybrid owners are less likely to be in an accident. Some think repairs are more expensive. This is a myth. Hybrids have been out long enough that the kinks have been figured out. Don’t forget about fuel efficiency, which is the cornerstone of hybrid cars.

With so much focus on what we can do for the environment and how we can change the world for future generations, simply driving a car to do that doesn’t seem like much of a challenge. With Honda’s technology and innovation, being a part of the future and making it better for future generations is a lot easier.

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Companies saving money by using environmental approach to fleet management

admin — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 18:34:00 +0000

Increasing numbers of companies are saving money by adopting an environmental approach to managing their vehicles, according to Malcolm Noyle, environmental fleet consultant at Cardinus Risk Management.

“There’s nothing like a financial crisis to focus the mind on the bottom line and vehicle operators are now reducing costs by cutting fuel use, improving the way vehicles are driven, preventing unnecessary mileage and considering their duty of care,” said Mr Noyle. “As a result, we are starting to see the green shoots of recovery. Companies have started to invest in activities that will demonstrate a clear return on investment.”

2009 was an important year for environmental initiatives. The Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) was set up by the government. Headed by Michael Hurwitz, the OLEV is dedicated to the introduction and promotion of low carbon vehicle solutions.

The DTi and the LowCVP invested in the establishment of the Low Carbon Van programme, designed to encourage the use of innovative hybrid, electric and low carbon light commercial vehicles. The government’s recent pre-budget report and the Copenhagen climate change summit also gave clear direction for environmental vehicle management and duty of care.

There are many vehicles producing less than 120g of CO2 per km, making choosing a low carbon car even easier than ever. The Mitsubishi i MEiV, a four-seat, four-door electric car that can do over 80mph and has a range of over 160km, goes on sale in 2010.

Mr Noyle said Cardinus Risk Management has invested in a range of products that reduce costs as well as risk and impact on the environment, citing a government agency commission as an example.

“Cardinus commissioned an intensive review of a fleet run by a government agency. It reviewed operations, policies, risk and environment,” said Mr Noyle. “The recommendations made by this review will save significant amounts of money for the agency, reduce risk and improve its carbon emissions. This report and its outcomes are the result of Cardinus adding value for its clients.”

Marcus Noble, managing director of Cardinus Fleet, agreed that this is a time of great opportunity. “Directors are looking for cost-savings from the fleet operation,” he said. “By managing mileage, company cars, the ‘grey fleet’ and drivers effectively, there are significant savings to be made. Risk profiling your drivers and vehicles will reduce your costs and CO2 emissions. Make the case for a professional assessment of your fleet today and you’re far more likely to get sign-off.”

Find out more about Cardinus environmental and risk management products at: http://www.cardinus.com/products/products.aspx?pc=sdr.

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Top Tips for Fuel Efficient Driving

admin — Wed, 06 May 2009 22:47:00 +0000

Top tips for fuel efficient driving:

1. Planning: plan your journey to avoid traffic congestion and getting lost. Try to take the most direct route and travel outside peak times when possible.

2. Weight: remove unnecessary weight such as clutter, bike racks and roof boxes which will reduce the fuel use.

3. Petrol: fill the petrol tank up to the first click; don’t overfill as fuel can be wasted through spillage and evaporation and make sure the petrol cap is tightly screwed on. Also petrol pumps are calibrated by volume so fill up at night when it’s cold.

4. Speed: observing the speed limit is not only safer but also helps to reduce fuel consumption. Fuel consumption increases the faster you drive.

5. Air Conditioning: using the air conditioner can increase fuel consumption by up to 10% so use it sparingly. However, at higher speeds (+60 mph) using the air conditioner will be more efficient than the wind resistance from open windows.

6. Tyre Pressure: check the tyre pressure regularly as under-inflated tyres can increase fuel consumption by up to 3%.

7. Driving: avoid hard braking and sharp acceleration, accelerate smoothly and slowly. Sudden changes in speed can cause excessive fuel consumption.

8. Revving: monitor the amount of revs, changing up before 2,500rpm in petrol cars and 2,000rpm in diesel cars.

9. Traffic Jams: restarting the engine uses less fuel than idling so switch the engine off if stuck in traffic for more than one or two minutes.

10. Service: regularly service the car, checking the air filters, oil and water levels.

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Toyota iQ BREAKS 500 MILES ON ONE TANK OF FUEL

admin — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 18:37:00 +0000

There is no questioning Toyota iQ’s status as one of the most fuel-efficient cars on the market, but a new hypermiling challenge has seen the tiny Toyota perform way beyond its official mpg figures.

Piloted by two of the team from the iQ blog, a standard iQ2 with a 1.0-litre VVT-i petrol engine, broke through 500 miles on a single tank of fuel. What makes the achievement all the more remarkable is that this was no finely tuned marathon attempt, but a gruelling drive through some of the most congested town centres in the south and midlands of England and Wales.

Setting out from Brighton on 25 January, the team tagged 18 cities in two days on a route that took them as far west as Cardiff and as far north as Wolverhampton. With atrocious weather conditions and rush hour traffic to contend with, there was pessimism about reaching the target, given that the theoretical range from a full 32-litre tank in an iQ is 462 miles. But in spite of wind, rain, congestion and the need to run the heater, headlights and wipers – all a drain on fuel consumption – the car managed 504.2 miles before ending its journey in central Oxford. That works out at 71.6mpg, compared to an official combined cycle figure of 65.7mpg.

You can read more about the hypermiling challenge at the iQ blog at
www.toyota.co.uk/iqblog.

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