The Green Piece Column. Tuesday 23 February 2010
Steeped in tradition, having been established in 1905 and now set for its 80th edition, the Geneva International Motor Show has always been one of the highlights of the automotive calendar.
Regarded as a level playing field for the world’s car manufacturers as Switzerland lacks an automotive industry of its own, exotic supercars usually steal the spotlight at the event but this year, after turbulent times for the industry, the focus is on green cars and the future of the business. With that in mind here we look at the top 10 most exciting green cars expected to be unveiled at the show.
1. BMW Concept ActiveE
Making its European debut in Geneva, the BMW Concept ActiveE is a fully electric drive vehicle based on the BMW 1 Series (see article). It features a specially developed motor that delivers 125kW/170hp with a maximum torque of 250Nm.
It is capable of accelerating from 0-60mph in 8.5 seconds and has a range of 100 miles on a single charge.
2. New 2011 Ford Focus
Already unveiled to North American audiences in Detroit in January, the 2011 Ford Focus will make its European debut in Geneva with fuel consumption savings of 10-20 per cent compared to outgoing models (see article).
The new Focus is expected to include the next generation Focus ECOnetic technologies including automatic stop-start, smart regenerative charging and low tension front end accessory drive to bring emissions down to a targeted 99g/km with fuel economy at 74.2mpg.
3. Citroen DS High Rider
A brand new hybrid concept, the Citroen DS High Rider hopes to capitalise on the higher efficiency of a diesel combined with an electric motor and is capable of operating by diesel or electric power separately dependent on the conditions (see article).
Details of fuel economy and emissions of this exciting prototype are remaining under wraps until the Geneva Motor Show opens its doors.
4. Peugeot SR1
A new concept car by Peugeot, the SR1 uses the Hybrid 4 technology that is expected to be launched in the Peugeot 3008 in 2011. A 1.6litre THP petrol engine is combined with a rear electric motor that develops 70kW and with the two powertrains operating simultaneously the SR1 can deliver power as high as 230kW.
Its combined fuel cycle performance is 58mpg, with CO2 emissions at 119g/km.
5. New 2011 Audi A1
A new super-mini from the German carmaker, the Audi A1 boasts CO2 emission figures as low as 102g/km according to preliminary figures (see article).
Though Audi is shrinking in size to meet green car market demand, the A1 retains its signature sleek, streamlined look and can develop 160Nm of peak torque that enables it to race from 0-62mph in 12.1 seconds with a top speed of 111mph and fuel efficiency in the region of 55.4mpg.
6. New 2011 Bentley Continental SuperSports Convertible
As part of Bentley’s ongoing commitment to biofuels, the manufacturer will debut its flex-fuel capable Continental SuperSports Convertible at the event (see article).
With flex-fuel in full use, CO2 emissions fall by as much as 70 per cent and yet the vehicle still produces remarkable sports car figures, racing from 0-60mph in 3.9seconds and with a top speed of 202mph.
7. New 2010 Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion
Simply one of the greenest cars to date, the new Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion will be the second cleanest conventionally fuelled diesel on the market (behind the Smart ForTwo) with emissions at just 91g/km and fuel efficiency as high as 80.7mpg (see article).
This remarkable small car has certainly stood the test of time but with a new advanced 1.2litre TDI engine, automatic stop-start technology and regenerative braking, it takes the carmaker to an all-time high in fuel efficiency.
8. Vauxhall/Opel Flextreme
The Vauxhall/Opel Flextreme is a diesel plug-in hybrid car that can travel 34miles on its lithium-ion batteries before a small diesel engine starts to charge the batteries (see article). This range-extended concept is a rebadged version of the Saturn Flextreme first introduced in 2008 and is expected to emit 40g/km of CO2 or less based on European test procedures for range extended vehicles.
Its total range is expected to be more than 300miles with average fuel consumption at 174mpg.
9. “5 by Peugeot”
Another Peugeot debutant at the event will be the “5 by Peugeot”, a new concept car that expresses the carmaker’s desire to establish itself in the luxury sector (see article).
With Hybrid 4 technology it has an overall maximum power of 200bhp with super low fuel consumption at 74.3mpg. Its CO2 emissions, although not yet confirmed, are expected to be a meagre 99g/km placing this car right at the top of its sector.
10. New 2011 Lotus Elise
With all the hallmarks of a super car, the new Lotus Elise certainly isn’t the average green car, but thanks to a number of technological advances it manages to combine performance with efficiency (see article).
Thanks to a new 1.6litre engine that is 200cc smaller than the previous Elise model but still produces similar power at 160Nm at 4,400rpm, it has the lowest CO2 output of a petrol sports car in the world with emissions at less than 155g/km of CO2 and fuel economy at 38mpg. Nevertheless it still manages to race from 0-60mph in 6.0seconds with a top speed of 124mph.
The Geneva Motor Show opens to the Press on March 2 and to the public on March 4. We’ll bring you all the latest information from the event in our news section.
Faye Sunderland
