Latest Green Car News
First glimpse of the new Insight
Honda has released the first photograph of the production version of the all-new Insight hybrid, which makes its world debut in January 2009, at the Detroit Motor Show.
This first image of the US version of Honda’s affordable family hybrid shows how the new five-passenger, five-door Insight will look when it goes on sale in the [...]
Volkswagen show off Alternative Fuel Models
With the Bologna Motor Show in full swing, Volkswagen have shown several new models, including:
The Golf BiFuel has been developed to run on both LPG and conventional petrol, with the German giants promising a 39.8 mpg and emissions of 149 g/km from the 1.6 litre 98 PS engine, and when running on purely LPG the emissions [...]
Oil price crashes
The price of crude oil fell to less than $47 a barrel yesterday, to a three and a half year low the Financial Times reports.
The latest drop means the price of oil has plummeted $100 a barrel in less than five months and makes the July record high of $147 a barrel seem like a [...]
Green cars to save Ford
Ford has submitted its business plan to the US Congress to demonstrate its vision to return to profitability, in order to secure a bridge loan from the government.
The US carmakers, Ford, GM and Chrysler have all call for government aid to help see them through hard times. Washington responded by demanding that the big three [...]
Counting the cost of Britain’s failing transport systems
The UK’s failing transport system is costing an estimated £17,350 on average per UK business, according to new research published by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). The BCC report that 90 per cent of businesses have experienced increased operating costs while 80 per cent claimed a loss of man hours as a result of poor road [...]
Parliament and council agree to CO2 regulations
An agreement has finally been made on future targets for CO2 emissions from cars following a series of meetings between the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and the French Presidency of the Council.
A compromise has been reached based on the Commission’s proposed target of 120g/km for new passenger cars by 2012 compared to the [...]
More power and fewer emissions
How do you ‘go green’ without sacrificing a vehicle’s performance? Fiat believes it has found the answer with an extension of its Bravo mid-size hatchback range.
The five-door Bravo will now boast a more powerful and yet a more economical and a lower emissions engine. The engine in question is the 165bhp 2.0 Multijet unit which [...]
Ford slashes Kuga emissions
Even those vehicles that don’t exactly fit the description of a ‘green car’ are adopting a more environmentally conscious outlook in an effort to expand their appeal.
The latest is the Ford Kuga crossover, with three new additions of the vehicle introduced providing lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions combined with greater power and torque.
The Kuga 2.0litre [...]
Should motorbikers get something for nothing?
Industry body, the Motorcycle Retailers Association (MRA) has called on Westminster City Council to drop parking charges against motorcycles in the belief that it contradicts their incentives to encourage use of two wheels over four throughout the London borough.
With the controversial move to allow motorbikes into bus lanes announced recently (click here to see our [...]
Hybrids to the rescue with the RAC
Motoring organisation, the RAC will be the first to trial hybrid vehicles as part of its recovery fleet as an instigation of a wider initiative to reduce CO2 emissions.
Two vehicles from RAC’s fleet are being trialled with the retro-fit Hybrid+ system, one in Norwich and the other in central London. RAC will be monitoring 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
