Latest Green Car News
GM rejects Opel sale talk
A report in The Times newspaper claims that the embattled car giant General Motors has rejected an audacious offer for European marque Opel.
German solar power group, Solarworld offered a total of €1bn for Opel’s four car factories and a research centre, comprising of €250m in cash and €750m in bank credit. Solarworld hoped to turn [...]
Kia update their FCEV programme
Some of the latest exciting news coming out of the LA International Auto Show revolves around Korean car giant Kia and their Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) programme.
The all new Kia Borrego FCEV, a sporty compact SUV, has been unveiled with several innovations on Kia’s previous FCEV study the Sportage FCEV.
Fuel cell output, maximum speed, [...]
Honda to help drivers maximise fuel economy
A major new announcement from the Japanese manufacturer promises to push greener driving style into the main stream.
Following hot on the heels of French-manufacturer, Fiat’s similar Eco:Drive initiative, Honda has announced the development of an innovative technology to enable drivers to adopt greener driver styles.
Initially developed for the forthcoming Honda Insight Hybrid, due in early 2009, this [...]
Insight into a greener future
Honda has set its sights high for hybrid car sales, targeting 500,000 globally each year. However, the target doesn’t look so far-fetched when you check out its latest addition - the new Insight family hybrid car, which is sure to be another green car hit.
The vehicle will feature a new Ecological Drive Assist System that [...]
Lexus takes hybrids to a new level
Already established as one of the leading players in the hybrid market, Toyota’s luxury division Lexus is now planning to take its green car offerings to another level.
The company unveiled the new RX 450h at the LA Auto Show yesterday ahead of a launch in Europe during the summer of 2009. In the UK, the [...]
Crisis companies sit out LA show
The LA Auto Show may open to the public tomorrow, but there won’t be much home-grown talent on display on American soil.
Whereas foreign competitors are busily launching a cluster of new vehicles and green cars at the annual showcase, such as the BMW Mini E, an electric two-seater, General Motors and Chrysler will be virtual [...]
Honda celebrates another breakthrough
While all the talk is about the crisis in the US automotive industry, Japanese car makers continue to pull ahead of the pack as Honda celebrated the opening of a new plant in Greensburg, Indiana.
The plant, which will eventually manufacture around 800 Honda Civics a day, was opened amid widespread celebrations across the area with [...]
Toyota Auris gains Stop/Start Engine
Japanese car giant Toyota has recently announced the development of an all new 1.33-litre Dual VVT-I petrol engine which incorporates the increasing popular start/stop technology to achieve improved fuel efficiency and reduced CO2 emissions.
The new Auris 1.33 Dual VVT-I Stop&Start not only benefits from Toyota’s Stop&Start technology but also comes with the added benefit of [...]
SMART new model
The manufacturer of micro-sized cars SMART has announced the launch of a new variant to their popular fortwo model. From November customers in the UK will have the option to purchase either a 61hp or 71hp micro hybrid drive fortwo, that features an automatic stop/start functionality which will return fuel savings of up to 23 [...]
Is aluminium the future for green cars?
We all know about the efforts being made to drive down emissions with the emergence of hybrid and electric cars - but what about the manufacturing of the vehicles themselves? What materials can be used to stop vehicles being piled on to landfill sites and polluting the atmosphere?
The answer, according to a speaker at 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
