In last week’s edition of The Green Piece Column, we looked at the leaders in the green car race including the likes of Toyota, Honda, Volkswagen and Nissan. However, it’s not just the ‘big boys’ of motoring that are having an impact as we enter a new automotive era.

Instead, there are a host of emerging contenders, many of which did not even exist five years ago, that are threatening to knock the big names off their perch. Here we offer some insight into these newcomers and their potential impact on the future of green motoring.

Tesla Motors

Founded in 2003, Silicon Valley based Tesla Motors is currently the only car manufacturer in the US or Europe manufacturing and selling highway capable electric vehicles in serial production.

Its first model, the Tesla Roadster, was the first production car to use lithium-ion batteries and was the first electric vehicle with a range greater than 200miles. It accelerates from 0-60mph in a mere 3.9seconds, and, according to Tesla’s analysis, is ‘twice as efficient’ as the Toyota Prius. The company had already delivered more than 700 vehicles by the end of September, 2009 (see article).

In January this year it also began taking orders for the Tesla Roadster Sport, a higher performance version of the Roadster which can reach 60mph in 3.7seconds. It is also working on production of the Model S saloon car, which is planned for release in 2011 and has already received 1,500 pre-orders. The company also announced in June that it will build electric family sized minivans, SUVs and fleet vans with DOE funding (see article) and it has formed a partnership with Daimler to provide powertrain components for the electric Smart car. Of all the ‘upstart’ green car companies, Tesla is the closest to breaking out into the mainstream.

BYD Auto

Chinese automaker BYD may have been founded in 2003, but it wasn’t until 2008 that it garnered mainstream attention when Berkshire Hathaway, led by Warren Buffet, bought a 10 per cent stake in its parent company.

In December last year, BYD began selling the world’s first mass-produced plug-in hybrid vehicle, the F3DM, which is slated to go on sale in Europe in 2010 with a 62mile all-electric range. Other models in its fleet include: the e6, an all-electric crossover with a 250mile electric range; and the F6DM, a planned plug-in hybrid midsize saloon car with a 62mile electric range.

BYD is noted for producing models that look like those of foreign automakers and as a home-grown manufacturer it may be best positioned to have a serious impact on the developing Chinese market and beyond.

Fisker Automotive

A joint venture between Fisker Coachbuild and Quantum Technologies, Fisker Automotive was founded in 2005 with headquarters in Irvine, California, and has made the Fisker Karma plug-in hybrid sports car its centrepiece.

The company hopes to begin selling the Fisker Karma in mid 2010 in Europe. It has a 50mile all-electric range and features the Q-Drive technology, a series hybrid system that mates the engine with a generator to provide an electrical connection and recharge the batteries (see article). Fisker is also working on a hardtop convertible, planned to be introduced in 2011, and the Fisker Karma Sunset which was named North American Production Preview Vehicle of the Year. Thanks to a $528million Federal loan the company will also begin work on ‘Project NINA’ to design and assemble a second-generation saloon car for sale in 2012.

Here are some other important names that may yet have an impact in the green car race…

REVA: An Indian company that markets the G-Wiz in the UK. It has recently built a new 30,000 capacity assembly plant in Bangalore, the world’s largest operational plant specifically designed for electric vehicles.

Bright Automotive: Has launched the Bright IDEA, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle and recently signed a contract with the US Army (see article).

Aixam-Mega: The French automobile maker has actually been around since 1983 and is Europe’s largest producer of microcars. It has garnered more attention in recent years thanks to a collaboration with NICE to produce electric vehicles such as the NICE Mega City.

Coda Automotive: Founded this year, the company has created the Coda Sedan, which is an all-electric four-door saloon car expected to have a range between 90 and 120 miles. It plans to deliver 2,000 all-electric cars to California in 2010 and has the ability to scale up to 20,000 cars in 2011 depending on market demand.

Tata Motors: Most people know Tata Motors because it acquired Jaguar and Land Rover in 2008. However, the company, which has already produced the world’s least expensive production car the Tata Nano (see article), has set its sights on a green future having unveiled electric versions of the Tata Indica and Tata Ace in India; and having worked with Motor Development International of France in developing the world’s first prototype of a compressed air car, named OneCAT.

Faye Sunderland

 TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk  is pleased to be promoting the  largest gathering of green vehicles in the UK during 2009. Green Machines Expo will be an integral part of UK AWARE set for London’s Olympia on Friday 17th and Saturday 18th April.

What is more we’ve teamed up with the guys at UK AWARE to offer visitors to TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk FREE tickets to the event, worth £5, simply by using UA09RGD at the following website:

UKAware.com

The UK’s only green consumer show, UK AWARE, is all set for its second staging after a successful beginning in 2008.

The exhibition is set for London Olympia Two on Friday 17th and Saturday 18th April 2009.

It also promises to be the best place to see green vehicles this year, as the Green Machine Expo comes under the UK AWARE umbrella for the first time.

The Green Machine Expo brings together over 50 vehicles, in what promises to be an amazing showcase, all with a green slant – whether it is the impressive electric Tesla Roadster capable of 125mph, or the latest from the NICE car company then this show will showcase some of the best green vehicles and technology out there.

TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk is looking forward to seeing a wide ranging and diverse variety of exhibitors, such as:

Tesla – the Californian-based company making waves on both sides of the Atlantic will be bringing its Roadster model to the Expo to allow many in the UK their glimpse of the car in the metal. This is the electric car which can hit 125mph and travels from 0-60mph in an eye-watering 3.9 seconds.

Lotus – the British engineering specialists will be along at the Green Machine Expo and will be ideally placed to talk about their work with Tesla on the Roadster amongst other things.

Saab – Saab’s London Dealers will be exhibiting at the show, with hopefully one of their innovative Biopower propelled cars there for the public to see.

Other exhibitors include; GoinGreen (G-Wiz), Nice Car Company, The Battery Vehicle Society and Vetrix among others.

We hope to see you there!

Aixam-Mega, the French electric vehicle maker which bought the remnants of NICE car company after the latter entered administration in late 2008 have an excellent offer available on new MEGA City cars ordered before 31st March 2009 in London.

The MEGA City is capable of a top speed of 40mph, and has a range of around 60miles, even better it is exempt from London Congestion Charges and benefits from free parking in many areas of central London.

With prices normally starting at just over £11,000 customers ordering before April will save 10% on the price of their shiny, new electric car, a saving of over £1,000!

For more information check out the NICE Car Company website.

London’s electric vehicle specialist, NICE Car Company, has resumed trading as the London sales arm of AIXAM-MEGA Ltd, maker of the MEGA e-City electric passenger vehicle and the MEGA Multitruck range of ultra-light electric and diesel commercial vehicles.

AIXAM-MEGA Ltd acquired the assets of NICE after it went into administration in November and has confirmed that the terms of ownership for existing customers will remain unaffected, with warranties remaining intact.

Following the closure of the NICE showroom in West London, AIXAM-MEGA Ltd will operate NICE as a direct sales arm for the London area. A servicing facility and small admin office will continue in Ladbroke Grove, whilst all other administrative tasks will be performed from AIXAM-MEGA Ltd’s headquarters in Rugby, Warwickshire.

Well established owners

AIXAM-MEGA Ltd is the UK subsidiary of the French AIXAM-MEGA company, which makes and distributes a range of innovative light weight vehicles worldwide. Outside London, the MEGA branded e-City car and Multitruckranges, as well as AIXAM branded small lightweight passenger vehicles, are sold and serviced via a network of specialist dealers and aftercare outlets.

Lawrence Holland, general manager of AIXAM-MEGA Ltd, said: “We are fully committed to developing the market for ultra-light electric private and commercial vehicles across the UK, and regard NICE as an important part of our growing sales network.

“We have retained the key aspects of the NICE car operation, enabling us to make the transfer of business as seamless as possible. MEGA drivers should be reassured that, from their perspective, it is now ‘business as normal’ at NICE Car”.

“If the UK is to keep moving the environmental agenda forward in the face of the economic downturn, we need to encourage businesses, public sector bodies and individuals to consider a move to electric vehicles for repetitive short hop transport. These cars are ideal for commuting and as pool cars for any urban firm providing a local service, such as estate agents, solicitors, barristers, and so on. As well as their obvious benefits in terms of lowering CO2 emissions, they can also considerably reduce the cost of motoring while improving life in densely populated areas both in terms of noise and air quality.

“We will be talking to local and central government as well as business users to see how we can promote further growth in infrastructure as well as broader acceptance of the benefits of these cars”.

Good news from Aixam Mega, the manufacturer of ultra-light electric vehicles, and until recently supplier to London’s NICE Car Company, with the welcome announcement that they have acquired the assets of the Ladbroke Grove-based dealer which went into administration in November 2008.

The French-based company will continue to sell and service their Mega City vehicle to Londoners, as well as the company’s Mega Multitrucks range of light commercial vehicles and have taken on NICE Car Company’s facilities in London; while all administration will transfer to Aixam Mega’s base in Rugby.

Aixam Mega’s UK general manager Lawrence Holland said that the acquisition gives existing Mega customers in London continuity of after sales service, and will also ensure that the company can continue to move forward with its plans to develop the market for electric vehicles.

He said: “We are fully committed to developing the market for ultra-light electric private and commercial vehicles across the UK, and regard this dealership as an important part of our growing dealer network.

“We have retained the key sales and service facilities, as well as some personnel, to make the transfer of business as seamless as possible. Mega drivers should be reassured that, from their perspective, it is now ‘business as normal’ at NICE Car.

“Sales of electric vehicles have slowed during the recent economic downturn, and this has contributed to the problems experienced by the former NICE Car management team, but over the longer term sales have been growing steadily. We believe that this growth will continue and that electrics will buck the trends affecting the wider automotive sector.”

 Critics who believe that electric cars have little chance of taking off as a long term alternative to petroleum and diesel vehicles have been fed more fuel for their fire with news that sales of electrics have fallen by more than half this year.

Despite the global economic downturn placing more emphasis on drivers to think about their refuelling costs, only 156 electric cars were sold between January and October compared to 374 during the same period last year according to new figures.

To make matters worse, the NICE Car Company, one of the two main British distributers of electric cars has fallen into administration. The company, which was established in 2006, had been selling all-electric versions of the Aixam Mega and had planned to bring new models to the market before the end of the year. However, its sales have now dropped to below one vehicle a week.

So how can the slump be explained? It could be that there is simply no wide market for electric cars, or it could be that consumers are not confident enough in the performance power of these relatively new vehicles. With little infrastructure in place, buyers could also be holding out for electrics to become more mainstream, or at least waiting for larger manufacturers to issue their own versions of the cars.

Currently there are around 1,100 all-electric cars on British roads – a mere 0.004 per cent of the total. Most are present in London, where drivers can benefit from being exempt from congestion charges and have more infrastructure in place. However, most are quadricycles and are therefore not classed as fully type-approved cars.

With manufacturers establishing more green cars than ever before – with many focusing on clean diesel and hybrid technology – even the most environmentally conscious drivers have a clear alternative to electrics.

What do you think is the primary reason for the slump in electric car sales? Will they ever be a real alternative to petrol and diesel? Leave a comment with your thoughts.

 Green cars are all the rage in the motoring Press with every motor show seemingly devoted to exciting new concepts and talks about establishing fuel efficient cars to prompt a resurgence in a flagging market. Why, hybrids have even increased their market share to more than three per cent.

However, it seems that in some areas green cars are not catching on so quickly. In particular, electric cars are failing to get off the ground in Dublin with reports that only two NICE Mega City vehicles have been sold – and one of them was to a Green Party councillor.

Despite low running costs of about €2 a week, Irish motorists are reluctant to make the change perhaps put off by the initial price tag of €16,500.

Arguments are being made that there are simply not enough incentives to go green in the Irish capital. Although there are savings to be made on road tax, critics have lashed out at the city’s failure to offer the same measures as the likes of France and Italy where there are grants and tax incentives, or London where green cars are VAT free with no congestion or parking fees.

There is also a lack of infrastructure in place with only one charging station.

So do you think it’s a failure on the part of the powers that be to introduce new incentives, or are the cars simply too expensive? What would it take for you to make the switch to a green car? Leave a comment with your thoughts.

Westminster City Council is leading London with incentives for electric cars and more councils should follow suit, NICE, the electric car retailer says.

Westminster currently hosts 60 re-charging points, the highest concentration of ‘juice points’ in London. It also offers parking concessions – free on-road parking and in council-owned car parks – for a modest annual administration fee of £200. Electric cars help to reduce localised air pollution and are ideally suited to cities like London.

“People buy an electric car for many reasons, but convenience and low running costs are among the most important,” said Julian Wilford NICE co-founder. “Westminster’s support, through parking concessions and juice points, has gone a long way to driving interest in this burgeoning market.”

Cllr Danny Chalkley, Westminster’s cabinet member for environment and transport, said, “We are happy to lead the way here in Westminster and champion electric car drivers. Our recharging points are proving extremely popular with hundreds of people registered to use them. It makes sense to make recharging points a standard format so it’s as easy as possible for people to move to more environmentally friendly forms of transport across London.”

While London Major Boris Johnson, has pledged to continue investment into electric car incentives across London.

Electric car retailer, NICE Car Company is ready to open a second retail outlet. From tomorrow, (30 October) NICE will trading from within Westfield Shopping centre in Shepherds Bush.

At Westfield, NICE will present its all-electric Mega City and MyCar models. Shoppers can also book test drives directly from the NICE stand which is located nearest the Wood Lane underground entrance on the ground floor.

Co-founder Julian Wilford said, “Like our range of all-electric cars, vans and motorcycles, Westfield is stylish and will have a positive effect on its local environment. We look forward to showing visitors that well-designed, safe and affordable electric cars are available to buy right now.”

Since 2006, NICE have traded from their showroom in Ladbroke Grove. NICE customers can benefit from  running costs from a couple of pence per mile, no road tax, no congestion charge and free parking in some parts of the country. Now that really is nice.

 Don’t you just love it when car manufacturers attempt to whet our appetite for their up and coming concepts? Well, the latest green car developer to offer us a glimpse into the future is the NICE Car Company.

The electric car manufacturer has begun a countdown to an all-new electric car designed and developed in Italy. It claims that the vehicle is the result of three years of research and development and it will take the name Tazzari ZERO.

Speaking about its introduction, NICE Car Company co-founder Evert Guertsen stated that the Tazzari ZERO was just one of a range of new cars on their way from the manufacturer.

“NICE is currently working with seven international partners and has an impressive portfolio of new cars,” he said.

“The ZERO is a fascinating prospect and London is a burgeoning market; we wish the company every success and look forward to potential partnership discussions in the months to come.”

So what does the Tazzari ZERO have to offer? Well it features an impressive set of specifications including a 150km range, and a 45minutes lithium-ion battery recharge option. It will have a top speed of 90km/h and the ability to move from 0-50km/h in less than five seconds. It will be cost-effective too at just 1p per mile.

If you want to take a glimpse at the model, then check out the teaser website tazzari-zero.com.