It’s been a long time coming, but electric cars are finally set for an historic breakthrough in Canada.

Vancouver, in the province of British Columbia, is to become the first major Canadian city to allow manufactured electric cars on to its streets. It is widely predicted that this will lead to a rush for electric cars in the region and spur manufacturers into action to develop new models.

British Columbia has been the heartbeat of green car production in Canada as it plays home to three manufacturers of so-called “neighbourhood zero-emission vehicles”. Now, Vancouver has followed Oak Bay (another British Columbian city) which has passed a bylaw to make these cars legal to drive on city roads.

The bylaw is expected to be approved later this week. It will state that cars must not be driven faster than 40km/h and can be used on any streets where the speed limit is 50km/h or lower. There are even discussions about dropping limits on 60km/h streets to make it possible for the cars to be driven everywhere.

As part of the on-going commitment to green cars, the city now requires all new single-family homes to have electric car plug-ins built-in. There may also be “opportunity charge points” built around the city, just as there are in London.

There have been some concerns however, with Vancouver police expressing hesitation about traffic safety because the electric cars are restricted to lower speeds. Even though some electric cars can travel faster than 40km/h they are restricted by regulations from Transport Canada due to concerns about their safety and the fact that they have not gone through the same crash-testing as standard vehicles.

 It’s not just oil that is in short supply – now its ethanol too.

According to the Bangkok Post, Shell Thailand has been forced to delay the launch of its E20 (20% ethanol, 80% petroleum) blended gasoline from the third quarter of this year to the end of the year due to a shortage in supplies of ethanol.

The plan was to expand the gasohol pump network but this would require around 200,000 litres of ethanol per day. Now, according to Tiraphot Vajrabhaya, chairman of Shell Thailand, this may not be possible as ethanol makers prefer to export to gain higher profits. Due to some production conditions, ethanol makers can only produce around 800,000 litres per day.

It is expected that demand for ethanol will outpace the country’s output by around 10 million litres in October and 13.6 million litres in November.

Demand for ethanol is high in Thailand, where three million cars now run on gasohol 95 and 91, which are both E10 blends, with 150,000 cars running on E20.

 There are plenty of news stories about car manufacturers becoming more eco-friendly in an effort to meet consumer demand – but just how important are green credentials to the average motorist?

Well, if a new Eco Watch study by Kelley Blue Book Marketing Research is to be believed, then 60 per cent of people are “extremely concerned” or “very concerned” about the environment and cited water, air pollution, energy shortages and global warming as the primary issues.

The online study took the opinion of 1,000 in-market consumers and found that 58 per cent were considering a more fuel-efficient vehicle for their next purchase, with consumers even willing to pay around $2,600 more in order to secure an environmentally friendly vehicle.

A further 57 per cent said they had changed their driving habits to be more economical behind the wheel while 58 per cent who have already changed the vehicle they are planning to buy said they would not go back to their former vehicle of choice even if gas prices were to slump back down to $1 a gallon.

Despite that seal of approval there was still scepticism surrounding a number of green cars. Hybrid engines were the fuel technology of choice, along with hydrogen fuel cells and natural gas vehicles – but respondents remained unsure about battery electric cars and biofuel-powered vehicles.

Chevrolet came in third behind established green car producers Toyota and Honda, when people think about fuel efficient cars – proof that advertising for the Chevrolet Volt is working well even though the car is not available until 2010.

According to the website, the top ten green cars of 2008 are: Toyota Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid, Smart Fortwo, Nissan Altima Hybrid, Mini Cooper, Ford Escape Hybrid, Honda Fit, Mercedes E320 BlueTec, Toyota Highlander Hybrid and the Chevy Tahoe Hybrid.

 No matter what the international venue, all of this year’s motor shows from London to Paris have a consistent theme – green cars. Hanover was no exception.

From light vans to heavy trucks and buses, green thinking took centre stage at just about every manufacturer’s display.

Daimler, for example, has introduced a cross-brand initiative called ‘Shaping Future Transportation’, which features a number of hybrid vehicles such as a plug-in hybrid Sprinter van and a high-efficiency concept diesel van, the Vito BlueEfficiency.

According to Wilfried Port, head of vans at Daimler, the company is merely reacting to changing market trends.

“We face the question of how we can meet the growing demand for transport services while at the same time lowering emissions,” he said.

The Vito BlueEfficiency includes an economical six-speed transmission with stop-start function and a number of aerodynamic improvements. The total carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions have been slashed by 40g/km.

In addition, Volkswagen has incorporated a number of fuel-efficient diesels into its van range. The Crafter BlueMotion Studie, which is a 3.5 ton van, has fuel economy at 31.04mpg. It also has a SCR catalyst with AdBlue technology which can make significant reductions to nitrogen oxide emissions.

Nissan too is focusing on improving the fuel economy of its vans. A hybrid version of the Cabstat light truck was unveiled at the show, with a 30 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions and a boost in fuel economy. Iveco too is well on the way to meeting Euro 6 standards, expected to be introduced in 2014, with diesel-electric hybrid vans and buses in operation and a zero-emission battery electric version of the Daily panel van, which is also available now.

Consumer advice publication, ‘Which? Car’ has issued advice to motorists to be aware that so-called ‘super fuels’, that they claim do not achieve their asserted benefits of reducing fuel consumption and improving the car’s performance.

Super fuels cost more to purchase at the pump but are often marketed as increasing performance and improving fuel economy.

Which? tested three different super fuels and reports that there is little to credit these claims.  Which? tested Shell V-Power, Tesco Super Unleaded and BP Ultimate Diesel.

BP Ultimate Diesel performed the worst, actually decreasing the economy and performance of the Renault Megane 1.5 diesel, Which? tested it on. The Megane did produce slightly less CO and HC on BP Ulitmate Diesel, but it increased NOx emissions. Tesco Super Unleaded similarly decreased the power of the Ford Focus 1.6 it was tested on although it marginally decreased the carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbons (HC) emissions. While Shell V Power did offer some power increase, it failed to improve economy or emissions except that it slightly lowered the nitrogen oxides (NOx) emission rate.

Which?  also logged carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of each fuel but reported negligible difference. So what is Which?’s advice to motorists? Forget super fuels, changing your driving style will make more of a difference to fuel economy.

Swedish car manufacturer, Volvo has upgraded their wind tunnel in order to better understand how air around a car flows. Volvo, have developed the wind tunnel to allow the car wheels to rotate to simulate real driving conditions. The car manufacturer with a reputation for building large, sturdy estate cars hopes this will enable them to develop the more aerodynamic vehicles, while still satisfying the needs of their clientele.

The recently upgraded, 27 square metre tunnel can now accurately account for the air resistance of the underside of the car, that accounts for around 50 per cent of the overall drag. Volvo hope they can utilise it to better understanding how to reduce drag on all their cars, which in turn will reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

Volvo’s aerodynamics expert, Tim Walker claims that they have already succeeded in reducing the air resistance of the new Volvo C30 DRIVe by 10 per cent.

 For car manufacturers, the need to embrace the environmental issue has been paramount in recent times as consumers demand cleaner, greener cars. However, some have been prepared to go above and beyond the call of duty by showing their green side in other ways.

One such example is Suzuki GB, which has launched a pioneering environmental strategy at its Milton Keynes headquarters that reduces waste, saves energy and shrinks the business’s carbon footprint.

With the help of MT Waste Management, Suzuki has co-ordinated a waste sorting system that covers its entire operation including its offices, workshops and warehouse, which are overseen by an on-site manager. The waste is sorted at the point of use so recyclable items are segregated from non-recyclables. At a collecting point, suitable waste is broken down, compressed and baled to ensure the most efficient use of transport space. As an added bonus Suzuki earns money for every load of recyclable material – so much so that it expects the recycling to become a profitable part of the business in the near future.

Even though the programme was only introduced in May it is already reaping impressive results with predictions for 2008 including:

• General, non-recyclable waste reduced by more than 50 per cent, from 78.8 to 30.1 tonnes.
   
• 100 per cent recycling of cardboard and metal waste with wood recycled for animal bedding.
   
• Total waste disposed of cut from 233.3 to 80.3 tonnes.

Ian Kirsop, facilities manager at Suzuki GB, is thrilled with the results.

“The staff here has been inspired by the scheme and is giving it great support. The approach is fully in line with Suzuki’s wider aims as an international business and we are setting an example of best practice that our colleagues in Europe can follow,” he said.

“We looked at the number of lorry movements on and off the site and found that a large number were just shifting our waste. Thanks to the new system we have put in place, non recyclable waste has been greatly reduced to just one load every seven weeks or so.”

Sometimes you just can’t have too much of a good thing and so Kia has decided to unveil not one, or even two versions of its all-new Soul urban crossover passenger car at the Paris Motor Show – no, it will be unveiling seven versions.

Among them will be a hybrid version of the vehicle, which will be joined by a cee’d hybrid, a fuel-cell powered Sportage and cee’d ‘Idle Stop & Go’ (ISG) vehicle, which will be part of the manufacturer’s so-called Green Zone.

The ISG system will be making its world debut in Paris and is likely to be introduced to Kia cee’d petrol models from early 2009. The innovative system switches the engine off automatically when the car is stopped in heavy traffic and then on again when the traffic moves, therefore cutting emissions and fuel consumption by as much as 15 per cent in typical city driving conditions.

Meanwhile, the Soul Hybrid(pictured) comes complete with a panoramic powered folding fabric roof along with a transparent bonnet and floor so the new hybrid powertrain and battery pack can be viewed by visitors. The car will feature a 1.6litre petrol engine linked to a 15kW, 105 Nm AC synchronised electric motor. The ISG system and regenerative braking will also be used to recharge the power pack. The prototype has fuel consumption at 57.6mpg and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of 117g/km.

The cee’d hybrid also uses a 1.6litre engine and a 15kW motor, but its performance targets are 58.9mpg and 114g/km.

Finally, the Kia Sportage FCEV is sure to turn heads with a lithium-ion polymer 152 Volt battery pack with higher performance and a 300km driving range. The FCEV includes hydrogen-powered fuel cells and a next-generation drive train, electric motor and control unit developed by Kia.

The Paris Motor Show kicks off in less than a week’s time on October 2 – for more information on the event, check out our guide.

The Environment Committee of European Parliament voted today to introduce mandatory CO2 emissions figures for new cars.

The original planned directive of 120g/km of CO2 by 2012 as the average fleet emission for passenger cars will stand despite attempts by lobby groups to weaken the proposals.

It also elected the introduction of a long-term target of 95g/km of CO2 by 2020 as the average fleet emission. Car manufacturers who fail to meet the targets will have to pay fines for every excess gram of CO2.

Following concerns expressed by the EU Parliament of Legal Affairs that the targets would be illegal if the committee pushed for the directive to be adopted under article single market rules (Article 95) , MEPs of the committee agreed that the new directive should be adopted under the environment chapter (Article 175 of the Treaty).

The move has been hailed as an essential landmark in the progression of greener transport. Welcoming the news, German MEP Rebecca Harms said:

“This vote is a watershed for climate protection in the European Parliament. MEPs have voted to introduce meaningful rules for tackling the damaging climate impact of cars by reducing their CO2 emissions. It is also a vote for European consumers: with oil prices so high, more fuel efficient cars will reduce the fuel cost burden for people who are dependent on cars.

“MEPs stood firm in the face of intensive lobbying from the car industry and voted to maintain the ambition of the original Commission proposal for reducing average CO2 emissions from cars in the EU: average emissions should be reduced to 130 g/km by 2012 through vehicle improvements with an extra 10 g/km reduction through additional measures. Climate scientists are telling us we need to take urgent action to prevent the most serious consequences of climate change. Tackling the rising CO2 emissions from cars is essential and this means introducing emissions limits sooner rather than later.We also welcome the introduction of the long-term target of 95g/km by 2020, which steps up pressure on the car industry to invest in innovation.”

Meanwhile the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) was disappointed by the outcome and expressed their concerns for the negative impact the measures could have on the motor industry;

“The MEPs missed the opportunity to help shape a realistic framework for the car industry enabling manufacturers to continue contributing to the CO2 reduction objectives of the EU to the best of their ability and with all the  innovative might they possess”, said Ivan Hodac, Secretary General of  ACEA.

“The European car industry calls on legislators to refrain from threatening the future of car production in Europe. The Environment Committee has given a wrong signal today. This is bad news for Europe, especially with the overall economic circumstances deteriorating already.”

“The auto industry has a lot to offer and its huge efforts should be encouraged, not opposed” , concluded Hodac.

• Astra Estate, Sports Hatch and 5-door models join popular ecoFLEX range
• New Astra 1.7 CDTi ecoFLEX models fall into lowest diesel emissions tax band
• Available from £16,340 on the road

As the credit crunch bites, and fuel bills hit record highs, environmental concerns and cost efficiency have become more important to fleet decision makers and drivers than ever. 

With this in mind, Vauxhall are helping customers reduce their carbon footprint by adding more ecoFLEX models to their fleet range, as popularity for these eco-friendly editions increases.

New Astra ecoFLEX
The ecoFLEX line-up of the New Agila and Corsa and the future addition of the new Insignia ecoFLEX announced last month at the British Motor Show, are all designed with the environment, and cost efficiency in mind.
Joining this exciting line up are the new Astra Estate, Sports Hatch and 5-door hatch 1.7CDTi 16v ecoFLEX models, available in a variety of trims.

With CO2 emissions of only 119g/km, these ecoFLEX models fall within the lowest, 13 per cent, diesel band for Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) tax – and with an estimated combined fuel consumption of 62.8mpg, these all new Astras tick both tax and cost efficiency boxes, from just £16,340 on the road.

Upholding the tradition of making low emission models widely available across the range, the new Astra models feature a 1.7 litre, 110PS common rail turbo diesel engine with 6 speed transmission, diesel particulate filter and lowered chassis, with the Life (air conditioned) ecoFLEX model featuring Low rolling resistance tyres on existing 15 inch wheels.
What’s more, there are significant benefits when it comes to Vehicle Excise Duty – Astra ecoFLEX’s CO2 emissions of 119g/km put it squarely into Band B – thereby qualifying for the Government’s second lowest tax disc rate of just £35 per annum.

Corsa and Agila
New Corsa and Agila models have also been added to the ecoFLEX range, again falling into the lower 13 per cent diesel band for BiK – with CO2 figures below 120g/km.

The Corsa SXi and Design models are now available with a 1.3CDTi 16v (75PS) engine (119g/km) supplementing the existing Life and Club ecoFLEX models, and the ecoFLEX badge will now feature on the Agila 1.3 CDTi 16v diesel and 1.0i 12v petrol models.

Capital Allowances
Looking ahead, it’s worth bearing in mind that with effect from 1 April 2009 (for Corporation Tax Purposes) and 6 April 2009 (for income tax purposes) the capital allowance treatment of business cars will be reformed. For example, expenditure on cars with CO2 emissions above 160g/km will attract a 10 per cent writing-down allowance (WDA) whereas expenditure on cars with CO2 emissions of 160g/km or below – like Astra, Corsa and Agila ecoFLEX models – will attract a full 20 per cent WDA.