The Volkswagen Jetta TDI Clean Diesel has been honoured at the Los Angeles Motor Show by the Green Car Journal, being crowned ‘2009 Green Car of the Year’.

The Jetta, which takes centre stage at the Los Angeles Show this month, is the first diesel vehicle to receive the prestigious award.

A jury of nine environmental and automotive experts from North America commended the Jetta TDI for its strong performance, fuel economy and low emissions.

Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of Green Car Journal commented:  “Hybrids have dominated the discussion of environmentally positive vehicles in recent years.  The highly fuel efficient, 50 state emissions certified Jetta TDI shows that advanced clean diesel has arrived and is poised to change this dynamic.  With its affordable price point, refined ride and handling, and high fuel economy, the Jetta TDI shows that hybrids now have a strong competitor in the marketplace.”

The Jetta uses a 2.0-litre four cylinder common rail TDI engine producing 140 PS and 320 Nm (236 lbs ft) of torque at 1,750 rpm.  Two key modifications have been made to the ‘Clean Diesel’ engine to substantially reduce the Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) emissions. 

The common rail engine in the Jetta TDI clean diesel adopts optimised combustion chamber geometries and precise injection processes at extremely high pressures reduce the production of NOx.  An exhaust gas recirculation process in the combustion chamber then reduces the concentration of oxygen with which the nitrogen can react and controls the combustion temperatures.  This process can reduce temperature-dependent NOx emissions by up to 60 per cent.

As a further measure to reduce emissions, a highly-efficient NOx storage catalytic converter soaks up any nitrogen oxides which remain.  This filter is cleaned regularly, and without the driver knowing, through an automated engine management mode.

These modifications make the Jetta TDI one of the cleanest and most fuel efficient vehicles on sale in North America.  It meets the strictest emissions regulations in the world including BIN5 standard, which is equivalent to the Euro 6 standard which becomes law in 2014.

The Jetta continues to enjoy sustained popularity in the North American market, enjoying popularity primarily with younger buyers.  It is the best-selling European vehicle in the US, accounting for 40 per cent of Volkswagen’s US sales.  The Jetta TDI with Clean Diesel has been available across North America since August 2008.

“It is a tremendous honour to have our Jetta TDI awarded Green Car of the Year,’ said Stefan Jacoby, CEO, Volkswagen Group of America.  ‘We believe the Jetta TDI provides our customers with the best of both worlds – excellent fuel efficiency combined with a dynamic driving experience.”

Embattled US car manufacturer General Motors is pressing ahead with its Hydrogen fuel cell tests despite speculation over the company’s long term funding plans.

GM’s HydroGen4 zero-emission vehicles, showcased in Britain at the London Motor Show, have arrived in Berlin, Germany in what promises to be part of the biggest ever test programme for fuel cell vehicles.

In all nine companies will take delivery of vehicles to test them in real world environments, including Coca-Cola, Allianz, and Linde; under the umbrella of the Clean Energy Partnership (CEP), a German Federal Department.

Understandably GM is delighted to attract high profile companies into the test programme.

HydroGen4 is GM’s fourth generation fuel cell, with more than 10 years development time under its belt, and has seen breakthroughs in range, acceleration, top speed and the ability to start in sub zero conditions.

Global testing of HydroGen4 has recently reached 700,000 km completed.

Smart is set to clean up when it comes to environmental compatibility with the launch of a new model with micro hybrid drive (mhd) technology and enhanced equipment levels.

From November, 61hp and 71hp versions of the smart fortwo will feature micro hybrid drive as standard, which is an automatic start/stop start function helping to provide significant savings in terms of both fuel economy and emissions.

The smart mhd models return fuel savings of up to 24 per cent and will lower CO2 emissions to 103 grams per kilometre.

The micro hybrid drive system operates during the engine idling phases.  The engine stops when it senses that the smart’s speed drops below 5mph and the driver is braking. When the driver releases the brake pedal the engine is instantly restarted.

The start/stop function makes no additional demand on the driver and, working in conjunction with the smart’s automated manual transmission, is completely seamless thanks to a powerful belt-driven starter generator that replaces both the conventional starter and alternator.

If the driver prefers not to use the micro hybrid drive system, it can be deactivated via a switch on the centre console until the next time the car is started.

Complementing the smart’s improvements in driveability is an upgraded interior and new exterior finishes.

Changes to the spacious cabin include a redesigned instrument cluster with an enhanced LCD display and new net storage pockets in the driver and passenger doors, while the passion’s “design red” interior trim has now also been updated to match the new “rally red” paint finish.

New optional 15” six-spoke alloy wheels give the Smart a sense of class. For even more glamour these wheels can also be specified in a chrome finish.

The micro hybrid variant is available as a coupe and a cabrio in all three lines – pure, pulse and passion – and is priced from £7,060 on the road.

 Too far or not far enough – it seems that reaction to Chancellor Alistair Darling’s plan to cut VAT but increase fuel and vehicle excise duty has been met with a cautious response.

Concerns have emerged that the Chancellor has not gone far enough in his efforts to kick-start the industry with sales of new cars slumping by more than 20 per cent in each of the last two months.

The Chancellor stated it was right to have a tax system that reflected the differing environmental impact of various cars and said he is pressing ahead with plans to increase the number of VED bands from seven to 13, as well as introducing a first-year rate on new cars bought from April 2010.

The band changes are set to be phased in – duty rates for all types of car will increase by a maximum of £5 next year, with the maximum rise leaping to £30 for the heaviest polluters in 2010. The vehicles that pollute the least could benefit from a £30 tax cut.

According to official Treasury figures, the standard rate of tax for a car with emissions between 121- to 130g/km of carbon dioxide (CO2) will fall from £120 to £90. The first-year tax rate for lower polluting cars will be zero.

The Retail Motor Industry Federation welcomed the news stating that delays would help the industry adjust. However, Edmund King, president of the AA, said the changes would only offer a “short-term tonic” and that they would not bring back the fizz to the new and used car market.

What do you think of the pre-Budget speech and in particular how it affects the motoring industry? Will it be a positive? Leave a comment with your thoughts.

 It’s not easy to make any of the news coming out of General Motors (GM) sound good at the moment – but the company is making no mistake about reaffirming its commitment to the flagship Chevrolet Volt.

The Volt is widely seen as the future of GM and the vehicle on which the company is pinning most of its hopes as it reels from the global economic crisis. As such GM’s vice chairman Bob Lutz has moved quickly to assure prospective customers that production of the Volt is proceeding despite the company’s problems and that it is now in the “next phase” of development.

Previously the company has been testing the Volt system in old Malibu cars but now it is being placed in its own next-generation vehicle. Speaking in an online blog, Lutz stated that he personally took the Volt for a 30mile test drive and pledged that the company is still on track to have the car in showrooms by 2010.

The Volt is painting the image of a greener future for GM, which famously turned its back on the EV1 concept in what was widely considered a disastrous public relations move.

Even though the car will cost more than $1billion to develop and is unlikely to make money over its first few years, GM is relying on the Volt as a potential saviour. This is despite the fact that oil prices have slumped dramatically from their highs in July with petrol prices following suit.

Is GM right to pin its hopes on the Volt? Leave a comment with your thoughts.

Measures to control car use could have unforeseen economic and social consequences, the RAC argued today.

Speaking at the 7th International Mo.Ve Mobility Forum in Venice, Elizabeth Dainton, Research Development Manager for the Royal Automobile Club Foundation countered that many motorists lack real alternatives to the car while partaking in a panel debate entitled ‘Car Dependency of individuals: lazy and wasteful drivers or lack of viable and acceptable alternatives?’

Ms Dainton argued that if badly designed policies are implemented to reduce car usage for any reason, be it climate change, carbon emission, congestion, road safety or human health reasons; could have huge negative economic and social implications.
Drawing on the RAC Foundation’s previous research, ‘RAC Foundation (1995) Car Dependence’ and forthcoming ‘Cars and Society: Recent trends and future challenges’, Mrs Dainton expressed her concerns;

“Car use has become the norm. It is an important feature of modern life, which has provided an unparalleled level of mobility and access to people going about their everyday activities. Car ownership and use has formed the basis of people’s decisions on where to live, work and educate their families. These decisions are hard to reverse.

“Nationally and internationally we face the same significant challenges of climate change, carbon emissions, congestion, road safety and human health problems. Transport generally and car use in particular has an important role to play in addressing these concerns and it is likely that non-voluntary car reduction policies will be increasingly developed. These policies should not be implemented without a full understanding of the social and economic consequences of limiting travel horizons by reducing car use. Policy in this area must not race ahead of understanding.”

For the first time in eight years, sales of used 4x4s fell throughout the country (down 3.4 per cent) during April to June of this year, according to the latest used car sales data released from Experian, the global information services company. And although London was the only part of the country to see a sales increase of 3.6 per cent during Q2 2008 compared with the same period last year, by June sales of used 4x4s in London started to slide, dropping by 2.3 per cent compared to June 2007.

Additionally, sales in the used mini segment in London increased by 6.6 per cent in June, while sales of used diesel cars increased by 10.1 per cent from April to June, reflecting the UK wide trend toward small and economical cars.

Kirk Fletcher, Managing Director of Experian’s Automotive division, said: “Sales of used cars in the capital did not suffer as badly as other parts of the country. However, June’s figures revealed the start of what dealers have already identified as a downward trend for the rest of the year. Up until now, used car buyers in London had remained the biggest 4×4 fans. The significant increase in the sale of used diesel cars plus rising sales in the mini segment in June highlights that Londoners are not immune to the rising costs of running a car.

 While most environmentalists are calling for further green car provisions to be attached to the proposed bailout of America’s big three car manufacturers – Ford, Chrysler and General Motors (GM) – one critic has lashed out at the proposed tie-up.

Writing in the Kansas City Star, George Harris described the requirement to build green cars as a potential death knell for GM. He states that those of us wanting to save the planet must realise that the public won’t buy a $40,000 electric car as long as petrol continues to cost less than $4 a gallon.

He believes that consumer demand for SUVs and trucks still outweighs that for hybrid and other green cars, acknowledging that “sure there are lots of Prius hybrids being bought… but mostly by people making a social statement.” As of right now, he believes that the Prius and other cars in its standing are not good economic choices until petrol becomes considerably more expensive – and stays there.

Currently in the US, petrol prices have fallen dramatically from their peak in line with a drop in oil prices. Oil peaked at $147 a barrel in July but has now dropped to less than half that amount at $65 a barrel – with US petrol prices dropping to less than $2 a gallon.

He believes huge tax credits would be required to make electric cars viable. As such GM should either be offered a loan or pre-packaged bankruptcy – but telling it to produce cars people “ought” to buy but probably won’t, is not the way forward.

What do you think of this argument? Should green car mandates be tied into any bailout of the big three? Leave a comment with your thoughts.

 President-elect Barack Obama has barely had time to go to the pet store with his children since winning the November 04 Presidential election – but he is already being forced into action.

Having already announced his economic team to wade off the effects of a mounting global crisis, he is now being prompted to push for a green-based economic recovery.

Enormous federal government investment in clean technology is expected to provide the low-cost capital to accelerate energy efficiency as well as build renewable energy products and jumpstart a sustainable low-carbon economy. Described as the Green New Deal, Obama has already outlined plans to create 2.5 million jobs, partly through the manufacturing of green cars. He hopes to free the US of its dependence on foreign oil.

Green issues were one of the central themes during Obama’s campaign as he outlined plans to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 80 per cent by 2050, and to have 25 per cent of US energy come from renewable sources by 2025.

It is believed that the public will respond to economic pressures – earlier this year Americans drove less for the first time in two decades as petrol prices soared.

So should Obama act fast to implement his green strategies or should he move cautiously given the economic downturn? How much of a role do you think that green jobs can play in America’s economic future? Leave a comment with your thoughts.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling MP, has set out his pre-budget report proposals to the House of Commons in the UK.

Speculation had been mounting of a reduction on VAT as well as a postponement to Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) which were due to be phased in from April 2009. So, now Mr Darling has made his speech did the speculation pan out into policy?

The largest headline will no doubt be the confirmed reduction in VAT from 17.5% to 15% for a period of 13months starting from Monday 01 December 2008. The Government hope this will help stimulate an ailing British economy.

Also announced has been an adjustment and postponement of the proposed VED increases.

To ease pressure on hard up motorists the Chancellor has announced that VED rates will not increase by more than £5 for any car in 2009. There will be no significant change until 2010.

The Government is still pressing ahead with overall changes to VED which will see an increase in CO2 emission bands from the current seven to thirteen.