Latest Green Car News
Controversial Dublin car ban on its way
A car ban will be in place in Dublin city’s College Green within four weeks - and it is proving hugely controversial.
The peak-time prohibition will be brought into effect on July 27 by the city council’s Transport 21 office. The ban means that only buses and taxis will be allowed to pass through the College [...]
Will green cars put industry on road to profit?
Here in the UK we’re so downtrodden by extortionate petrol prices that the prospect of driving fuel efficient green cars carries obvious appeal. However, what about our US neighbours where ‘gas’ prices are distinctly lower and so-called muscle cars are seen as almost iconic and part of the culture? Can green cars really be a [...]
Could US commit to solar power?
As we know only too well here at TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk, it’s not just how much energy we put into our cars - it’s where that energy comes from.
The use of non-renewable resources is taking its toll on the environment and more money is being pumped into renewable energy sources such as wind and biomass. Now it [...]
Never mind green cars – what about synthetic trees?
It appears that synthetic trees aren’t just for Christmas - they could help us battle environmental problems too.
Columbia University has announced the development of a tree structure that could capture carbon 1,000 times faster than a real tree. The idea is that it would be used to capture carbon emitted into the air by vehicles [...]
More states follow California’s clean car standards
The US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to grant California’s request to carry out its own clean car standards not only clears the way for the Schwarzenegger-led state to cut its own greenhouse gas emissions, but it is likely to effect at least 13 additional states too.
A new Environmental Defence Fund report shows that 13 [...]
Hyundai boosted by early hybrid success
The world’s first production hybrid electric vehicle to be powered by a liquefied petroleum injected (LPI) engine has proven an instant sales success for its manufacturer.
Hyundai Motor Corporation has received more than 1,000 pre-sale orders for the Avente/Elantra LPI hybrid since June 17 ahead of the car going on sale in South Korea on July [...]
Volvo fuel cell technology offers jobs boost
Not only could fuel cell technology help to clean up the earth’s atmosphere, but it is providing a boost to the economy too.
The Volvo Group has teamed up with the Swedish Energy Agency and international corporations Midroc and OCAS to invest £15.7million into the development of fuel cells - a move that is expected to [...]
Electric vehicles put to test in Paris; Italy news
Paris is known as the city of romance, and now the Renault-Nissan Alliance and EDF Energy hope that its residents will fall in love with electric cars.
The alliance and the French energy company are planning a large-scale electric vehicle test in the region that will run for one year beginning in September, 2010. During this [...]
First ever hybrid electric bus trial in Australia
The state of Victoria will play host to Australia’s first ever hybrid-electric bus trial which will involve two outer suburban routes at a cost of A$500,000.
The trial is meant to assess the viability of both parallel- and series-hybrid buses in an effort to reduce greenhouse gases in the transport sector. It has been established after [...]
Could discovery impact clean transportation fuels?
Discovery of the zeolite catalyst ZSM-22 could have an impact on the production of cleaner transportation fuels from natural gas or biomass.
The catalyst, which was previously believed to be inactive in the conversion of methanol to hydrocarbons, has been discovered by researchers at the University of Oslo in Norway. It yields a unique hydrocarbon product [...]
Alternative Energy Transportation
“Recharging Transportation” and “Tomorrow’s Transportation” are videos featuring innovative Alternative Energy Transportation from Aptera Motors, Tesla and the West Philly EVX Team
Alternative Energy Transportation videos: Aptera and Tesla
Top 5's by category
Which are the greenest saloons, hatchbacks, coupes, cabriolets, estates, people carriers and 4x4's?
Company Car Tax in 2008/9
Including details of the 2009 vehicle excise duty reform. Are you paying the right company car tax in 2008/9?
The announcement of a major reform of vehicle excise duty in April 2009, the introduction of a new 10% banding for benefit-in-kind tax (13% for diesels), plus a rise to £16,900 in the Government set charge for fuel benefit charge calculation are some of the key points in Budget 2008.
Green Car Events Calendar 2009
A calendar of green car events in 2009 including green car motor shows, green car exhibitions, green car races and other special events involving green cars. The events listed also focuses on other aspects of motoring - such as most mainstream motor shows - at which fuel efficient cars may also be displayed. If you know of a green car event that is not listed here, perhaps because it is a local small event, please contact us with as much detail as possible:
Green Car Events Calendar 2009
Electric cars
Electric cars were once expected to be the ultimate travelling option of the 21st Century only to be maligned when initial efforts such as the Ford Think failed to earn a sizeable share of the UK market. However, with further technological advancements, electric cars are once again emerging as a viable alternative to the fuel guzzling and polluting vehicles that most of us drive today.
Hybrid cars
The number of hybrid cars available in the UK is on the increase although they are still not as readily available as it is hoped they will be in the long term. Here is a list of some of the hybrid cars currently available in the UK, click on the links to find out more:
There are also several hybrid cars available in other markets:
Here is a list of some of the hybrid cars that are coming soon:
BMW EfficientDynamics
Auto Start-Stop: The engine stops whenever the car comes to rest and is taken out of gear, restarting the second the clutch is depressed - read all about BMW EfficientDynamics by clicking on the following link - A quick guide to BMW EfficientDynamics technologies
The top 10 green cars
Our list of the top ten green cars will put you on the right road to reducing your emissions while still driving in style and comfort.
Top 10 green cars
The most economical green cars
One of the major benefits of owning and running green cars is the increased fuel economy that they are able to offer. Green cars such as the Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion and Seat Ibiza Ecomotive are now able to return more than 70 miles to the gallon and have the added bonus of very low CO2 emissions. We look at the green cars that offer the most miles per gallon and have broken down the results into the following categories: saloons, hatchbacks, estates, coupes, cabrios, people carriers and 4x4s.
The most economical green cars
Founded in 2003, Elektromotive is a leading provider of electric vehicle charging points. Based in the City of Brighton and Hove, UK, Elektomotive consist of a small team dedicated to designing and installing cutting edge technology for recharging electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
Stuff2Send.com is a new on-line service that puts people with stuff to send somewhere in touch with people who plan to be driving there anyway. Empty vehicle space can be used to its full potential, as motorists carry goods as well as simply driving from A to B. Anyone with a vehicle can register to deliver stuff, softening the blow of ever-rising motoring costs for students, commuters, taxi drivers and commercial vehicle operators.
REVA Electric Car Company Private Ltd. (RECC), based in Bangalore, India, was established in 1994 as a joint venture between the Maini Group India and AEV LLC, California USA, to manufacture environment-friendly and cost-effective electric vehicles. REVA is best known in the UK as the manufacturers of the G-Wiz model electric vehicle. Shot to fame through the sales to celebrities such as Jonathan Ross, Jerry Hall and Kristin Scott Thomas and due to the cost-effectiveness of their vehicles; REVA’s G-Wiz quickly became inner-city icon.
The NICE Car Company offers impartial advice and the best range of zero-emission, electric vehicles in Europe. If you are looking for environmentally-friendly vehicles then NICE Car Company is there to help you make the right choice - from electric cars, electric trucks, electric vans and electric minibuses to our range of electric bikes and electric scooters including the Vectrix Scooter. Julian Wilford, the co-founder of the NICE Car Company kindly spoke to us September 2008.
Barry Shrier is the charismatic and passionate promoter of entrepreneurial innovation - he is also the founder and CEO of Liberty Electric Cars. Liberty Electric Cars was established to respond to the rapidly expanding demand for zero and low emission cars. The company is investing £30 million in the re engineering of large luxury cars and 4×4s into emission-free, high performance electric vehicles. TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk speaks to Barry about the recent exclusive agreement reached with ecurie 25 and asks for his thoughts on pedestrian safety, the Eden Project's 'Green Car Show' if whether or not he believes that electricity is a viable solution to fossil fuels.
The Quiet Car Company® are a Lymington based company based on the south coast of England. The Quiet Car Company has a dream of making transport cleaner, cheaper and fun. Vaughan Richmond spoke to TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk in September 2008.
Titan Environmental are a pioneer in the manufacture and supply of storage solutions for oil, fuel, lubricants, adblue, chemicals, biofuels and water. Titan’s range of tanks and containers provide the best option for every situation whether domestic, commercial, industrial or agricultural.
More companies are turning to green company cars as a solution to rising motoring costs with research suggesting that more environmentally friendly company cars could save UK firms a collective £3bn a year. So what makes green company cars so attractive and should you consider them for your business? This guide will show you some of the options on the market and explain how you can make the savings work for you.
It’s a widely held myth that ‘green’ driving is more expensive than regular cars with petrol or diesel engines. It’s easy to see the reasoning behind it: everyone’s still driving cars with regular engines - and this ‘green’ technology is all relatively new - so surely it must be more expensive?
The Ford Focus 1.6 TDCi Style has been awarded the most prestigious award at the first-ever What Car? Green Awards. The Ford Focus’s impressive credentials saw it beat off 23 other contenders to take the top accolade, in categories ranging from green supermini to green sports car.
You've probably heard of pay-as-you-go mobile phones - you may even have one - but could the same philosophy be applied to vehicles? The success of car clubs across the UK suggests the answer is 'yes' and now there are a number of green car clubs emerging specifically targeting drivers that want to save cash and the environment. This guide to green car clubs will introduce you to the concept.
What is Eco-Driving? This guide to Eco-Driving will help you find practical steps that you can make today to reduce your carbon emissions as well as insight into alternative fuels and vehicle techology.
According to the Energy Saving Trust's report published in April 2007, a company with 100 vehicles could be saving £90,000 a year by implementing green fleet policies.
Top 5 green driving tips
- Change gear early
- Use air conditioning sparingly
- Do not use car as mobile office - no weight
- Do not use car for short journeys
- Always keep tyres inflated to correct pressure
