Top Green Cars
Mercedes-Benz Vision C220 BLUETEC concept
Mercedes’ new C-class will consume 9 tons less CO2 over its lifecycle (from production to scrapping) than its predecessor. That’s a cut of 15%—and it’s not done with whizzy new innovations but old fashioned engineering skill: better aerodynamics, minimal weight increases, and conventional engines that squeeze more power out of less fuel. And Mercedes plans to go further within a couple of years—the Vision C220 BLUETEC concept the company showed will have a diesel engine that gets 170-hp and 295 lb-ft (400Nm) of torque from just 2.2 litres at more than 50 mpg.
Volkswagen Passat BlueMotion
VW’s and Mercedes actually joined forces to work on the 'Bluetec' project, hence the similarity of name. Their philosophy is simple: take today’s technology and push it as far as you can. There’s a lot be said for this: you can make the cars cheaply; they’re practical and reliable, and you can do it now. Cutting the emissions of a car that sells in hundreds of thousands, even by a little, has more effect than anything you do with a car that sells only tiny numbers. The Passat BlueMotion manages 50 mpg+ (5.5 l/100km); there’s a small price to be paid in performance and ride comfort but it’s one buyers seem willing to pay—the Polo BlueMotion that launched in Europe last summer is doing well, and VW promises more cars in its range will get the BlueMotion treatment. That adds up to a big reduction in emissions.
Saab BioFuel Range
Saab’s solution is more adventurous. Its biofuel cars have conventional engines that are adapted to run on bio-fuels. Biofuels are manufactured from various types of farm crops. The plant material is used to make ethanol, a type of alcohol, and the car is fuelled either by petrol, or by an 85% ethanol / 15% petrol mix known as E85, or any mixture of the two. Some makers call these 'flexfuel' engines. The theory is that the crops take carbon out of the atmosphere as they grow, so overall little carbon is added to the environment when you use these fuels. But it takes a lot of crop to produce the fuel so land availability is a problem – there certainly won’t be enough for everyone, and clearing forest to grow more won’t do much for the planet. Nevertheless, production efficiency may improve over time and bio-fuels could help to diversify energy sources in parts of the world where agriculture can support it.
Giugiaro Vad.Ho
Italian styling house Italdesign Giugiaro works with many carmakers on design projects; they have a sideline in interesting concept cars like the Vad.Ho. Despite its wacky looks and tandem seating arrangement this is claimed to be road-legal and feasible for production. However, Giugiaro chose to fit BMW’s experimental hydrogen fuelled engine, which is wildly impractical, for now, anyway. Burning hydrogen in more-or-less conventional engines is deeply attractive idea—the only emission you get is water. But the problems are formidable. Hydrogen delivers lower economy, has to be stored permanently at temperatures well below zero in an enormous fuel tank, requires large amounts of energy to make, and evaporates within days if you don’t use it.
Toyota Hybrid X
Toyota knows something about hybrid technology, with 11 hybrids on the road today. Likely representing the next-generation Prius, the Hybrid X Concept is physically the same size as a conventional family car of today, however the concept is a vision of the family car of the future. It’s a one-box design with an all-glass roof but boxed-in luggage area. The roof glass frames, viewed from above, resemble an X, hence the name. The interior is marked by ultra thin seats and flat load floor; the rear seats swivel by up to 12 degrees so passengers can enjoy looking out more comfortably. Not many details about its hybrid powertrain, but its expected that advancements have been made in both performance and economy.
Honda Small Hybrid Sports Car Concept
This Concept demonstrates a unique fusion of advanced hybrid technology and fun-to-drive sports car characteristics, according to Honda. The Small Hybrid Sports Concept, which has been designed by Honda R&D Europe based in Offenbach, Germany explores the idea that a car can have a low environmental impact yet still deliver all the driving enjoyment expected of a compact sports car. The hybrid’s electric motor can deliver extra torque and power when you need it, however, the more you use the power, the less you’ll get the economy. The ideal solution would be to get traditional hybrid economy in town and oodles of power on the open road. If Honda with its racing genes can make this work, it’ll steal a march on Toyota.
Greeny
Available in most European markets (they’re known as G-Wiz in the UK), these tiny citycars were designed in California and manufactured by Indo-US Reva Electric Car Company and use relatively simple lead-acid batteries. With a top speed of 45 mph (72 km/h), range of 30-50 miles (48 - 80 km) and multi-hour charging times, it’s perfect for around city driving. The small dimensions make parking really easy, but they offer four seats (2 adults in the front and folding seats for 2 small children or storage space at the rear). Price is set at £7,000 (€10,400).
Subaru R1e
This pure electric car is interesting because it’s moving the technology forward. The 2+2 citycar uses a lithium-ion battery which was developed in cooperation with NEC and can be recharged to 80% capacity in fifteen minutes using a special rapid charger, or to 100% charge in eight hours on a standard 100V plug. The current prototype has a range of 50 miles (80km) before it needs a charge. Top speed is 62 mph (100kph) and battery life is at least 10 years or 144,000-plus miles (240,000 km). It is currently undergoing testing while serving as company vehicles for the Tokyo Electric Power company. Tokyo Electric Power company plans on producing 150 fast-charge stations to support an estimated 3,000 electric cars within 5 years.
Koenigsegg CCXR
An unexpected choice perhaps, but an indication of what’s possible even in one of the world's fastest cars. Swedish company Koenigsegg created an E85 powered version of their CCXR (CCX pictured) that runs on 100-octane biofuel. Thanks partly to the fuel's higher octane rating, an unexpected side effect was a 25% increase in power, far more than expected, and something their customers weren’t exactly disappointed about. The CCXR E85 has a massive 1,050 horsepower and 800 lb-ft (1086 Nm) of torque. That’s more power than the Bugatti Veyron in a car that weighs less than a MINI. This is the kind of environmentalism we could get used to.
Honda F1 Racing car
Most people would not associate Formula 1 racing with environmental concerns. But what most people don’t realize is that F1 is all about efficiency. To win, teams must make an engine that can extract as much energy as possible from every last drop of fuel. They must put it in the lightest and most aerodynamic car. And they must do it without compromising reliability or safety, in one of the world’s most competitive environments. As a crucible of technology and a chance to reach millions of people worldwide, it’s invaluable. Honda’s 2007 season will be all about leveraging that power for environmental gain—hence their earth-enveloped livery—while sending a message that they care about the environment and are at the forefront of technical innovation.
