The highly sought-after Fiat 500 will become an even more appealing prospect with the production of a petrol/electric hybrid engine offering incredible economy and even lower CO2 emissions. The aim is to produce a 500 that emits less than 90 g/km. The Ibiza Ecomotive and Polo Bluemotion currently lead the way with CO2 emissions of only 99 g/km.

The Fiat 500 Hybrid will also feature the very latest green technologies. Low-rolling resistance tyres and a lightweight engine could conceivably give the motorist 80 miles to the gallon. 

It is thought that the 500 Hybrid will not be seen in showrooms until 2011. TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk hopes that this is a sign of the future in which CO2 emissions get lower and lower and fuel economy gets higher and higher. Well done Fiat!

Gordon Brown’s cabinet clashed recently over whether to replace British-built ministerial cars with hybrid vehicles, amid claims that that the cabinet are failing to reduce their contribution to CO2 emissions.
John Hutton, the business secretary, led the criticism of the plan along with other senior ministers, including Jack Straw, the justice secretary, and Ed Balls, the schools secretary, who argued that the move sent out the wrong message to domestic manufacturers.
Later this year, all cars used by ministers and senior civil servants will have to have carbon emissions below 130g/km, ruling out British-built cars such as Jaguars and Range Rovers.
The issue sparked a heated row after Ruth Kelly, the transport secretary, opened a debate on whether to change the government car fleet with low-emission cars such as the Toyota Prius.
Ruth Kelly suggested the government could use a more ambitious target of 120g/km, an idea backed by David Miliband, the foreign secretary, and Hilary Benn, the environment secretary.
Although the government policy does not specify the use of any particular make, the Japanese-made Toyota Prius cars are now widely in use across Whitehall.
Mr Hutton set out his views to a Commons committee last year when he explained his decision to choose a ministerial Jaguar. “I support the fact that ministers can choose a hybrid car if that is what they want, but I chose British.
“I would like to see more UK hybrids and there is a real opportunity there for British manufacturers but I do not think that the answer is to force everyone to drive around in bubble cars.”
Mr Brown’s spokesman admitted the government “needs to do more” to meet its own targets to cut carbon emissions, following a critical report by the Sustainable Development Commission. It found that two-thirds of government departments were not on track to meet their 12.5 per cent carbon reduction target by 2010/11, and that emissions from vehicles were “an area of serious concern”.
Rebecca Willis, the vice-chair of the commission, said: “Government as a whole needs to take radical action to put its own house in order if it is to be in a position to lead by example.”

The pressure is now on for British manufacturers to produce lower emission vehicles.

Lotus Engineering are planning to enter the green car market and have set up a research and development group with the purpose of working on hybrid and electric vehicles plus the continued work of reducing emissions of its conventional engines.

Recent work assisting in the development of Tesla’s all-electric Roadster will be fully utilised and Lotus Engineering plan to become a leader in green transport engineering within the next five years.

Porche announced on the 7th January 2007 that its new four-door Porsche Panamera GT will also be built as a hybrid version. The Panamera hybrid will feature components already used when constructing the Cayenne hybrid.

Porsche claim that the new hybrid will feature a mode that will allow the Panamera to run completely free of emissions. The release is pencilled in for early 2010.

Porsche has officially confirmed that the new Cayenne will be in keeping with their visions of a greener future by mating the petrol engine with an electric motor. The plan is to reduce the Cayenne’s fuel consumption by 25% and thereby increase the miles per gallon to above the 30 mark. Porsche have indicated that this will not mean any drop in performance and will “provide improved acceleration and engine flexibility compared to a conventional Cayenne”.