Latest Green Car News
Green Kia defy industry downturn
Kia are exuberant, despite difficult trading conditions in 2008, they are celebrating a growth in their market share.
Kia Motors (UK) Limited ended 2008 with a total new car sales figure of 31,323 - an increase of more than six per cent over 2007 despite the economic downturn that has plagued the UK market.
Tough economic conditions [...]
REVA announces lithium-ion electric car and fast charge station
Electric vehicle manufacturer, Reva Electric Car Company (REVA) has announced the European launch of its lithium-ion (li-ion) battery powered EV- the REVA L-ion. Based on the REVAi platform used in current models such as the popular G-Wiz, the REVA L-ion is the result of more than two years of testing, with a range of 120 [...]
Is speed the key to slashing emissions?
Could intelligent speed adaptation, which limits how fast we can drive, help to reduce the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the nation’s cars? According to a recently issued joint report from the Commission for Integrated Transport and the Motorists’ Forum, fewer emissions could be one of the many benefits of adapting such a system.
A report [...]
Scots aim to limit car use
London may have implemented a number of environmental measures of its own to encourage green car use, but now it’s the turn of the Scottish capital to get in on the green act.
More than half of the staff that work for Edinburgh city council are now choosing to walk, cycle or travel by public transport [...]
Hertz joins green car hire battle
Green cars are dominating the car hire industry to the point that some of the world’s largest car rental companies are battling to boost their eco credibility in an effort to win a larger market share.
Hertz has become the latest company to get in on the act. Firstly, it is introducing a new car-sharing offering [...]
Company wants its share of green car loans
Another company has put forward an application for funding under the $25 billion Advanced Technology Manufacturing Incentive Program administered by the US Department of Energy.
EnerDel, a lithium-ion battery subsidiary of Ener1, has applied for $480billion of low-interest loans aimed at doubling manufacturing capacity to produce 600,000 hybrid electric vehicle packs a year at its plant [...]
Indian carmaker introduces green car labels
Yesterday we told you about the new environmental performance labels that have been implemented in California expressing a vehicle’s emissions - and now an Indian manufacturer has implemented a similar scheme.
Maruti Suzuki India Limited, which is a subsidiary of Suzuki Motors, has become the first Indian automaker to comply with the Society of Indian Automobile [...]
Lotus look to emulate Tesla’s success
Sports car manufacturer, Lotus could be looking to build an electric sports car thanks to the success of the Tesla.
The Tesla Roadster, hailed as the world’s first high-performance electric sports vehicle, is based on the Lotus’ Elise model and is assembled at their Norfolk plant.
“Don’t be surprised to see an electric Lotus shortly,” Michael Kimberley, [...]
New green car resolutions for smarter drivers
New car buyers in England are being urged to ‘ACT on CO2′ to save fuel and money when searching for New Year deals.
The Department for Transport (DfT), working with wider Government and the motoring industry, will be helping motorists to make a more informed choice for their next new car.
From today the ACT ON CO2 [...]
Fisker to unveil new green car
The countdown is on to the Detroit Auto Show, one of the most prestigious and eagerly anticipated events on the motoring calendar. In 2008 many of the top motor shows were dominated by green cars and this year looks to be no different with Fisker Automotive planning to debut a new vehicle at the event.
The [...]
Green Car Events Calendar 2009
A calendar of green car events in 2009 including green car motor shows, green car exhibitions, green car races and other special events involving green cars. The events listed also focuses on other aspects of motoring - such as most mainstream motor shows - at which fuel efficient cars may also be displayed. If you know of a green car event that is not listed here, perhaps because it is a local small event, please contact us with as much detail as possible:
Green Car Events Calendar 2009
An interview with the NICE Car Company
The NICE Car Company offers impartial advice and the best range of zero-emission, electric vehicles in Europe. If you are looking for environmentally-friendly vehicles then NICE Car Company is there to help you make the right choice - from electric cars, electric trucks, electric vans and electric minibuses to our range of electric bikes and electric scooters including the Vectrix Scooter. Julian Wilford, the co-founder of the NICE Car Company kindly spoke to us September 2008.
Julian Wilford interview - September 2008
Company Car Tax in 2008/9
Including details of the 2009 vehicle excise duty reform. Are you paying the right company car tax in 2008/9?
The announcement of a major reform of vehicle excise duty in April 2009, the introduction of a new 10% banding for benefit-in-kind tax (13% for diesels), plus a rise to £16,900 in the Government set charge for fuel benefit charge calculation are some of the key points in Budget 2008.
Electric cars
Electric cars were once expected to be the ultimate travelling option of the 21st Century only to be maligned when initial efforts such as the Ford Think failed to earn a sizeable share of the UK market. However, with further technological advancements, electric cars are once again emerging as a viable alternative to the fuel guzzling and polluting vehicles that most of us drive today.
Hybrid cars
The number of hybrid cars available in the UK is on the increase although they are still not as readily available as it is hoped they will be in the long term. Here is a list of some of the hybrid cars currently available in the UK – click on the links to find out more:
There are also several hybrid cars available in other markets:
Here is a list of some of the hybrid cars that are coming soon:
BMW EfficientDynamics
Auto Start-Stop – The engine stops whenever the car comes to rest and is taken out of gear, restarting the second the clutch is depressed - read all about BMW EfficientDynamics by clicking on the following link - A quick guide to BMW EfficientDynamics technologies
The top 10 green cars
Our list of the top ten green cars will put you on the right road to reducing your emissions while still driving in style and comfort.
Top 10 green cars
The most economical green cars
One of the major benefits of owning and running green cars is the increased fuel economy that they are able to offer. Green cars such as the Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion and Seat Ibiza Ecomotive are now able to return more than 70 miles to the gallon and have the added bonus of very low CO2 emissions. We look at the green cars that offer the most miles per gallon and have broken down the results into the following categories: saloons, hatchbacks, estates, coupes, cabrios, people carriers and 4x4s.
The most economical green cars
Barry Shrier is the charismatic and passionate promoter of entrepreneurial innovation - he is also the founder and CEO of Liberty Electric Cars. Liberty Electric Cars was established to respond to the rapidly expanding demand for zero and low emission cars. The company is investing £30 million in the re engineering of large luxury cars and 4×4s into emission-free, high performance electric vehicles. TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk speaks to Barry about the recent exclusive agreement reached with ecurie 25 and asks for his thoughts on pedestrian safety, the Eden Project's 'Green Car Show' if whether or not he believes that electricity is a viable solution to fossil fuels.
The Quiet Car Company® are a Lymington based company based on the south coast of England. The Quiet Car Company has a dream of making transport cleaner, cheaper and fun. Vaughan Richmond spoke to TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk in September 2008.
Titan Environmental are a pioneer in the manufacture and supply of storage solutions for oil, fuel, lubricants, adblue, chemicals, biofuels and water. Titan’s range of tanks and containers provide the best option for every situation whether domestic, commercial, industrial or agricultural.
More companies are turning to green company cars as a solution to rising motoring costs with research suggesting that more environmentally friendly company cars could save UK firms a collective £3bn a year. So what makes green company cars so attractive and should you consider them for your business? This guide will show you some of the options on the market and explain how you can make the savings work for you.
It’s a widely held myth that ‘green’ driving is more expensive than regular cars with petrol or diesel engines. It’s easy to see the reasoning behind it: everyone’s still driving cars with regular engines - and this ‘green’ technology is all relatively new - so surely it must be more expensive?
The Ford Focus 1.6 TDCi Style has been awarded the most prestigious award at the first-ever What Car? Green Awards. The Ford Focus’s impressive credentials saw it beat off 23 other contenders to take the top accolade, in categories ranging from green supermini to green sports car.
You’ve probably heard of pay-as-you-go mobile phones - you may even have one - but could the same philosophy be applied to vehicles? The success of car clubs across the UK suggests the answer is ‘yes’ and now there are a number of green car clubs emerging specifically targeting drivers that want to save cash and the environment. This guide to green car clubs will introduce you to the concept.
What is Eco-Driving? This guide to Eco-Driving will help you find practical steps that you can make today to reduce your carbon emissions as well as insight into alternative fuels and vehicle techology.
According to the Energy Saving Trust's report published in April 2007, a company with 100 vehicles could be saving £90,000 a year by implementing green fleet policies.
Top 5 green driving tips
- Change gear early
- Use air conditioning sparingly
- Do not use car as mobile office - no weight
- Do not use car for short journeys
- Always keep tyres inflated to correct pressure
