Car Sharing Saves Cash

Sharing a car with another motorist could save the average commuter £1,500 a year, Travelwise NI has claimed.

The government body, which encourages alternative forms of transport, said more drivers should consider using one of the 21 park-and-ride scheme across the province which are operated by Translink. This option again offers potential savings of £1,609 a year or more in some cases. Translink currently provide 2,000 free parking spaces, with a further 2,000 planned and in development.

"The car-sharers that we have would say they have somebody to talk to on their way to work, socialising. Or they can sleep on the way to work and let somebody else do the driving every other day or every other week."
Michael Lindsay, Car Share Co-ordinator, Travelwise NI

Calculate just how much you could save using the cost calculator on the LiftShare website.

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Boris Tests the Telsa

London mayor Boris Johnson has test driven the Tesla Roadster, an all-electric sport car, as part of the Intelligence Squared Green Festival on Climate Change 2009, which runs from 25 January 2009 at the Royal Geographical Society, London.

Mr Johnson, a recent convert to the environmental cause, has said in the past that his next car will be an electric vehicle and made demands of the auto manufacturer.

He said: "What I really want is a people carrier."

The chance to drive the car, which overcomes the accusation that electric cars are boring with its Lotus-inspired design, was given to the mayor by the Intelligence Squared Green Festival.

Four visitors to the festival will also get a chance to hop in the vehicle.

Tesla motors recently introduced the Roadster Sport, which it claims accelerates from nought to 60 miles per hour in 3.7 seconds compared to 3.9 seconds for the model Mr Johnson drove.

The mayor's green transport record has been questioned in the past after funding for bicycle lanes was reduced and he scrapped the western congestion charge zone.

Electric car manufacturer, Telsa, first produced their Roadster model, a historic car as the world’s first fully electric sports car with a Lotus-related design, running from 0 to 60 in less than four seconds, burning no oil and recharging its battery with a 13 amp plug. The car will go on the market in the UK in May 2009 priced at £92,000.

To be in with a chance to test drive the Tesla Roadster, enter the prize draw by booking a ticket.

Tickets for individual sessions cost £10.00 or £15.00 or you can buy a day pass for £50. Tickets for young people aged 18 and under are 75 per cent off, for students, 50 per cent off.

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Mini E To Be On Roads By 2009

The BMW Group will be the world’s first manufacturer of premium automobiles to deploy a fleet of up to 500 all-electric vehicles for private use in daily traffic. The MINI E will be powered by a 150 kW (204 hp) electric motor fed by a high-performance rechargeable lithium-ion battery, transferring its power to the front wheels via a single-stage helical gearbox nearly without a sound and entirely free of emissions. Specially engineered for automobile use, the battery technology will have a range of more than 240 kilometers, or 150 miles. The MINI E will initially be made available in the US to select private and corporate customers as part of a pilot project in limited geographical areas in the US states of California, New York and New Jersey. The possibility of offering the MINI E in Europe as well is currently being considered. The MINI E will give its world premiere at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 19 and 20, 2008.

The MINI E’s electric drive train produces a peak torque of 220 Newton meters, delivering seamless acceleration to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 8.5 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 152 km/h (95 mph). Featuring a suspension system tuned to match its weight distribution, the MINI E sports the brand’s hallmark agility and outstanding handling.

By introducing the MINI E, the BMW Group is underscoring the resolve with which it works towards reducing energy consumption and emissions in road traffic. The BMW Group is drawing on its unique technological expertise in the field of drive systems to develop a vehicle concept enabling zero emissions without renouncing the joy of driving. Putting some 500 cars on the road under real daily traffic conditions will make it possible to gain widely applicable hands-on experience. Evaluating these findings will generate valuable know-how, which will be factored into the engineering of mass- produced vehicles. The BMW Group aims to start series production of all-electric vehicles over the medium term as part of its Number ONE strategy. The development of innovative concepts for mobility in urban areas within the scope of “project i” has a similar thrust, as its objective also includes making use of an all-electric power train.

Based on the current MINI, the car will initially be available as a two-seater. The space taken up by back-seat passengers in the series model has been reserved for the lithium-ion battery. A full recharge draws a maximum of 28 kilowatt hours of electricity from the grid. Based on the car’s range, a kilowatt hour translates into 5.4 miles. Besides the benefit of zero-emissions driving, the MINI E thus offers significant economic advantages over a vehicle powered by a conventional internal combustion engine as well.

The MINI E has already gone through the major phases of product development for mass-produced vehicles and passed numerous crash tests on the way. Aspects investigated besides passenger protection were the impact of collision forces on the lithium-ion battery and finding a non-hazardous location for it in the car. The MINI E’s energy storage unit emerged completely unscathed from all of the crash tests mandated by US standards, which are especially high.

Production of the approximately 500 cars will take place at the company’s Oxford and Munich sites and is scheduled for completion before the end of 2008. MINI’s UK plant will be responsible for manufacturing the entire vehicle with the exception of the drive components and the lithium-ion battery, with the brand’s series models rolling off its assembly lines concurrently. The units will then be transferred to a specially equipped manufacturing complex situated on BMW plant premises where the electric motor, battery units, performance electronics and transmission will be integrated.

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MPG Marathon 2008

The real benefits of ‘smarter’ motoring came into sharp focus this week when competitors in the 2008 MPG Marathon proved beyond doubt that skilful eco-driving can dramatically reduce the cost of motoring and cut the amount of CO2 emissions produced by Britain's 30 million motorists.

The 40 teams taking part achieved an average improvement of 23 per cent over the manufacturer’s official combined figures and, if replicated by all of Britain’s car and commercial vehicle drivers, would save a total of £8.2 billion per year in fuel costs.

Eighty drivers and navigators took part in this national initiative, a round trip between ALD Automotive’s headquarters in Fishponds, Bristol and Shrigley Hall, Macclesfield to establish whether eco-driving can squeeze more miles per gallon (mpg) out of their vehicles than conventional motoring. The objective was to ‘save pounds and the planet’ as the drivers put the manufacturer’s own estimates of fuel consumption to the test – and won.

The achievement was all the more impressive as the drivers had to deal with the glare of publicity and congested roads during the two-day endurance trial. Twenty two manufacturers agreed to publicly have a variety of their hatchbacks, saloons and commercial vehicles put through their paces by automotive journalists, 'green' organisations and motoring safety bodies, including the AA, over this gruelling 400-mile round trip.

While seven vehicles achieved more than 70 miles per gallon, eight amazingly secured more than 80 miles per gallon, a record for the event which is in its sixth year, but the overall winning position went to the Toyota Yaris driven by Andrew Andersz which achieved a staggering 84.66mpg.

Second place went to Sue and Joanne Cooke in the Mazda2 1.4 Diesel with 84.58mpg. James Sutherland and navigator Richard Hill, who have won the last two MPG Marathons, failed to achieve their ‘hat trick’ in the Toyota Aygo Blue although it came in fifth place with 82.39mpg, a 34.18 per cent improvement over the manufacturer’s combined cycle figures, and using just 22.71 litres of petrol. This was the best figure achieved by a petrol-engined car in the event.

The MPG Marathon also sought out the drivers most capable of improving on the fuel consumption figures claimed by the manufacturer.

A Chevrolet Corvette Z06 with a manufacturer’s combined mpg of 19.2, managed to achieve 30.96mpg, an improvement of 61.26 per cent, despite its massive seven-litre engine. Driver and navigator Richard Hammond and Carla McAlpine proved that even so-called ‘gas guzzler’ sports cars can be driven more economically.

Second place in the percentage improvement class went to Christophe Duprat from ALD Automotive International and French motoring journalist Emilie Eyzat in a Honda Accord, with an MPG of 73.98, an improvement of 49.16 per cent.

Another entry of note was the Ford Focus driven and navigated by Devon and Cornwall police officers Martin Davis and Malcolm Curnow who achieved a fuel consumption of 62.43mpg against the manufacturer’s figure of 54.2mpg, an improvement of 15.18 per cent on the standard Focus, although more significant because the vehicle would be heavier with additional equipment. The force is attempting to cut its £2.3 million annual fuel bill because, with a fleet of 1200 vehicles, officers drive an amazing 29 million miles per year as a result of there being more miles of roads in the two counties than in the whole of Belgium. AA president Edmund King, sharing the driving with BBC Transport correspondent Tom Symonds, achieved 73mpg in a new Fiat 500, an improvement of 9.01 per cent.

It’s not what you drive, but how you drive that makes the difference and once again the combined efforts of all the participants and sponsors delivered a first class, educational event which has proved, if proof was needed, that skilled driving techniques work and can make a dramatic impact upon miles per gallon.

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2008 Fleet Hero Awards

Tonight will see the London Transport Museum host the third annual Fleet Hero Awards, organised by the Energy Saving Trust in association with the Department for Transport, and in partnership with Fleet News, Guardian and The Observer.

The awards ceremony looks to recognise the achievements by organisations large and small in reducing their energy consumption and carbon emission in business travel, through a variety of categories;

• Best Large Fleet
  Addison Lee
  Amey
  Ocado
  
  
• Best Medium Fleet
  Centre Parcs
  James McNaughton Group
  London Borough of Islington
  
  
• Best Small Fleet
  Commercial Group
  Green Tomato Cars
  The Royal Parks
  
  
• Grey Fleet Champion
  Arval
  Inchcape Fleet Solutions
  VT Education and Skills
  
  
• Business Mileage Champion
  Addison Lee
  Environment Agency
  Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council
  
  
• Leadership Award
  Commercial Group
  Government Car & Despatch Agency
  Green Tomato Cars
  Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Trust
  
  
• Industry Supplier Award
  Arval
  BMW
  Masternaut Three X
  
  
• Smarter Driving Award
  Arval
  Gateshead Council
  Government Car & Despatch Agency
  
  
• Innovation Award
  Centre Parcs
  GreenRoad Technologies
  Modec

Previous winners include BSkyB, Saninsburys Online and London Borough of Islington.

There is a real message to all the glitz and glamour, whether you manage a fleet of over 500 vehicles, or have a small fleet of 10 or 20 cars or vans, the Energy Saving Trust can help turn your transport operations green.

With funding from the Department for Transport, the Energy Saving Trust provides public and private organisations of all sizes with free, expert and tailored advice to help reduce running costs, cut carbon emissions and enhance corporate social responsibility.

If your organisation has a fleet of 50 or more cars and vans under 3.5 tonnes you are eligible for a Green Fleet Review - an independent, environmental review of fleet operations providing a comprehensive report on the following:

• Fleet carbon footprint
• Vehicle allocation policy
• Fuel economy
• Mileage reimbursement policy
• Driver education
• Mileage reduction strategies
• Best practice grey fleet (business mileage in private vehicles) principles
• Latest health and safety and duty of care issues

Since 2004 over 300 organisations from every industry sector have benefited from this service.

In all cases decreasing environmental impact of your fleet equates directly to cost saving. Your potential savings depend upon your fleet size, the type and size of vehicles you operate and the number of miles travelled.

To find out how much you can potentially save, access the Energy Saving Trust's online Green Fleet calculator.

I'm still awaiting my invite to tonight's proceedings in the post, how could they possibly have failed to send me an invite. Tonight's event however is highlighting how business can and are willing to implement change to reduce their impact on the enviroment and save on costs concurrently. Every penny saved on fuel is a penny more in profit.


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EU Parliament Won't Be Bullied

The EU environmental committee has effectively passed plans (assuming the European Parliament pass it in December) forcing car manufactures to meet a strict average CO2 emission of 130g CO2/km within four years. Car manufactures and their industry allies had lobbied MEPs in a desperate bid to try and get the planned proposals altered to allow them more time to phase the reduction in gradually, these proposals were rejected.

Vehicles in the UK emit 91m tonnes of CO2 each year, and any proposal on reducing the emissions from new vehicles will benefit the environment, however some indiduals are suggesting that it could lead to increased costs for our cars, job cuts and people holding on to their gas guzzlers for longer.


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Smart Zero Emission Driving with The Smart Ed

Businesses and organisations across the UK are using new electric smart models in one of the car industry’s biggest carbon neutral test programmes...

The new smart ed may not be on sale here yet, but Britain is currently the centre of a pioneering test programme involving the new electric-powered model. Over the next four years the electric vehicles will be operated using only ‘green energy’ – electricity generated from renewable sources. From manufacture to delivery and on to final operation, the ultimate objective has been to create a virtually carbon-free car. Where any use of fossil fuels or resulting CO2 emissions have been identified and quantified, equivalent funding is being invested in carbon offset projects in both the UK and Germany.

The smart fortwo passion is transformed into an electrically-powered vehicle by UK-based technology partner Zytek at their facility in Lichfield, Staffordshire. The British company adds the electric motor, battery pack and other modifications, but the end result is indistinguishable from a conventional smart model. Only the power socket hidden underneath the normal fuel filler flap and a dash-mounted display showing the charge level remaining, give any indication that this is a vehicle with an entirely different propulsion system.

The car has a maximum range in excess of 70 miles and can be fully charged from empty in eight hours and partially charged from 30 per cent to 80 per cent in 3.5 hours. With a top speed of 60mph (electronically limited), and acceleration from 0-30mph in 6.5 seconds – faster than its petrol equivalent – the smart ed is no slouch around town.

Powered solely by electricity, and chargeable from any three-pin socket the smart ed can achieve the equivalent of 300 mpg – that amounts to a saving of up to 80% in fuel costs over the already highly economical smart fortwo. The ed can travel up to 72 miles between charges, which typically take around 8 hours for a full charge – ideal for charging at work between your morning and evening commutes. If your journey takes you into the capital, you will find free electricity provided by some London boroughs, as well as free or discounted parking. With a top-up charge during the day, the smart ed’s daily range weighs in at 100 miles.

With that in mind, Smart are running a market trial with selected blue chip companies who are happy to meet their requirements to power the cars using only renewable energy sources. When they say zero emissions, they really mean it! Among the partners already enrolled in the trial are The Urban Splash, Islington and Coventry Councils, Foster & Partners, CarbonNeutral Company, EDF Energy and Amey.

To add to the environmental benefits of CO2-free emissions and zero noise pollution, users can point to the savings resulting from not needing to pay either vehicle excise duty or the Congestion Charge. What’s more there are Benefit in Kind tax savings as the Inland Revenue doesn’t treat electricity as ‘fuel’, while some London Boroughs will also offer smart ed models free parking and free top-up electric charge facilities.

Whilst the Smart Ed is yet to be available to the general public just yet, there are ways we as individuals can speed the process, by letting companies like Smart know that we want this technology, that we will buy this technology, and let the governmnent know that you want this technology and you want them to help people, business and manfactures employ this technology.

In their quest for greener driving, Smart have announced the introduction of a diesel engined smart fortwo – with the lowest C02 emissions on any car in the world – which will be joining the family in March 2009.


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Formula Zero Championship 2008 Starts in Rotterdam

On Friday in the centre of Rotterdam, at the sound of the Vice-Mayor’s starting gun, the Formula Zero Championship commenced. Six internatonal teams spent two days competing for the title of this new zero emission race series.

The Formula Zero Championship consisted of two different challenges for the racing teams. On Friday from 17:30 there was sprint races in which teams competed for the fastest lap time with a ‘flying start’. On Saturday there will was the two-mile main races with ‘standing start’ (approx. 6 laps). The mobile race track, which can be put up anywhere, has a length of 535m and lies at the foot of the Willemsbridge.

Each team's entry was powered by a commercial fuel cell that produces electricity from hydrogen.

Founded by Dutch motorsport enthusiasts Godert van Hardenbroek and Eelco Rietveld, Formula Zero is already recognised by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, the world's motorsport governing body.

Teams Competing in the event were;

• Greenchoice Forze: TU Delft, Delft, The Netherlands
• EUPLATECH2: EUPLA, Zaragoza, Spain
• Imperial Racing Green: Imperial College London, London, UK
• Element One: Lawrence Technological University, Detroit, USA
• HercUCLAs: University of California, Los Angeles, USA
• Unicord Solvay Zero Emission: RacingTeam Groep T, Leuven, Belgium

"In 10 years if the motorsport industry as a whole hasn't engaged in zero or low emission principles, it probably won't be around. Teams that embrace this new technology early on will succeed, and those that don't will fall by the wayside. With a combustion engine, you have to reach three or four thousand rev[olutions per minute] to get your peak power, with an electric vehicle, it's all there from standing, and they're more efficient."
Greg Offer, Imperial Racing Green, Imperial College London

It is expected that the class will grow to Formula Three standard and then full-size racing class as interest in green motoring escalates. The next event will be held in the US in March. In 2009 the Formula Zero championship will comprise four races.

Formula Zero’s goal is to generate enthusiasm for fuel cell cars and accelerate the introduction of this technology into commercial production. Formula Zero proves that sustainable mobility is already a reality. The racing world is the ideal environment for developing this technology so that we will eventually all drive zero emission cars. Whilst the event may not be zero emissions the cars are, and the benefit of engaging events like this is that it will encourage commericial production of fuel cell vehicles in the future.

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Scores on the Car Doors

Beginning January 1, 2009 all new cars sold in California will carry a label which clearly informs consumers of the state's assessment of the vehicle's environmental impact.

The new regulation signed into law last month by the Secretary of State, creates a simple ranking system that will provide consumers with practical information that can be used to choose the most environmentally friendly vehicle that meets their transportation needs. Showroom models displaying these labels have already started to appear.

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Sexy Green Car Show

The Co-operative Sexy Green Car Show starts tomorrow at the Eden Project in Cornwall. The car show runs from 23 - 31 May 2008. Admission to the car show is included in the normal admission fee to the Eden Project.

Love them or hate them, cars are not going away. But road transport accounts for a fifth of our carbon dioxide emissions in the UK, so it's time to transform the way we buy and use them.

The good news is that in the UK the government's King Review of transport tells us we can reduce road transport CO2 emissions by a massive 80% by 2050 if we start buying the right vehicles now and take our old bangers off the roads. Now, the technology is out there and our Sexy Green Car Show brings it to you.

Traditionally, environmental organisations have not had much to say about cars, except to try and persuade people not to use them. But at Eden, based in rural Cornwall, people are acutely aware of a dependence on cars. For many it's just not practical or affordable to travel another way.

Green cars have suffered a bit of an image problem in the past but now there are all sorts of exciting advances - hybrids, super-light, carbon fibre bodies, developments in aerodynamics, engines and biofuels.

The Sexy Green Car Show is a chance for people to find out about it all first hand.

All the major manufacturers will be flaunting their newest, greenest models, with some even making their first public appearance.

Greener materials and fuels are hitting the market all the time, with many more on the drawing board. Of course no one knows which technology will win the race which is why we've included a wide selection of cars, ranging from concept models experimenting with hydrogen fuel cells (the Morgan LIFE) to family cars so well designed they do over 60 miles per gallon. Look out for the hybrid vehicles, which use petrol at high speeds and then exhaust-free electricity for city driving.

For more information on the Sexy Green Car Show, head over to the Eden Project.

Picture: Modec Continues To Deliver

John Menzies, have introduced according to Transport News Network, a Modec designed in a custom-livery sponsored by the Guardian – aimed at creating maximum impact on the road, whilst highlighting the vehicle’s environmental credentials.

If the trial proves successful more electric vehicles could join the company’s 500-strong commercial vehicle fleet, which operates across the UK and Ireland and is responsible for delivering a significant volume of the shortest shelf life product to a higher number of consumers than any other supply chain. This includes more than 5 million newspapers and 2.5 million magazines each day.

It features bespoke-designed bodywork manufactured by Glasgow based Tekbo which includes a rear roller-shutter door and entry doors on both sides of the vehicle, accessed via a corridor immediately behind the cab. This arrangement affords drivers maximum flexibility for entering and exiting the vehicle safely. It also uses a sliding door to separate the corridor from the load space, with a series of low voltage LEDs to light the interior.

It has been specified with the latest lithium batteries, giving the vehicle a range of up to 60 miles on a full five-hour charge. This new battery technology has the advantage of allowing Menzies Distribution to part-charge the battery where necessary – with each hours’ charge replacing 20 per cent of the battery’s power.

The Modec will be making up to 30 deliveries each morning throughout the Westminster area, starting its run at 4.30am from the company’s depot close to the Old Kent Road – one of three Menzies Distribution facilities serving Greater London. It will travel through the heart of the Congestion Charging zone and also be used during the afternoon to transport express parcels to a central sorting facility bound for overseas locations on behalf of sister company Menzies Aviation.

“We want to be at the forefront of learning about this new technology and the Modec allows us to experiment with operating an electric zero-emission vehicle in the heart of central London. It’s the perfect environment to really put the Modec through its paces, whilst enjoying a range of additional benefits including a 100 per cent discount from the Congestion Charge. The delivery of the Modec forms part of a wider project within Menzies Distribution aimed at further reducing the carbon footprint of the business. To support its arrival in the fleet we are assessing the feasibility of installing a photovoltaic recharging system at our depot, which will allow us to provide much of the electrical power needed for the vehicle through solar energy. The Modec test follows the introduction two months ago of 10 Mercedes-Benz Eco-Start vans, which automatically cut the engine whenever the vehicle is stationary for more than two seconds, then automatically start it again when the driver depresses the clutch pedal. We are also in discussion with Isuzu about bringing a hybrid electric / diesel commercial vehicle onto the fleet too,”
Stuart McLean, Logistics Manager at Menzies Distribution

Menzies Distribution is part of John Menzies plc, one of Scotland’s largest companies, and makes daily deliveries across the UK to more than 23,000 customers. Its fleet of commercial vehicles covers nearly 100,000 miles each day, operating from 19 hub depots and 18 satellite depots supported by a team of approximately 4,000 employees.

The AA Trial Electric Bikes

Chronic congestion has reached record levels in some cities, so the AA is introducing patrols on electric scooters and motorbikes to tackle the problem.

The UK's biggest breakdown organisation will use Vectrix electric bikes to cut through traffic and reach breakdowns in central London up to 25 per cent quicker, getting members and other traffic moving again with minimum delay.

The trial is in central London, where traffic speeds in the morning peak are at their lowest in 40 years. If it is successful, the bikes could be rolled out to other major cities revealed today by the AA, in conjunction with Trafficmaster, in a "City Speed League Table";

The average traffic speed across London is 16.9mph. But during peak periods in central London this slows to just 10mph – the same speed as horse-drawn carriages a century ago.

City & Speed

Bristol 16.8
Glasgow 17.3
Southampton 17.8
Liverpool 17.8
Manchester 18.3
Cambridge 18.8
Birmingham 19.4
Sheffield 19.6
Cardiff 21.8
Newcastle 24.0

"On busy city roads, one flat tyre can delay thousands of motorists and further aggravate congestion. By cutting through traffic, AA bike patrols will reach breakdowns more quickly and get our members and other drivers back on the move with the minimum delay. We need radical action to beat record slow traffic in our cities and decided that two wheels are quicker than four. By fixing breakdowns more quickly, we will improve service to our members, and help reduce congestion and emissions. Our analysis of traffic speeds in major cities shows that congestion is not just a London problem with Bristol bottom of the league, and Glasgow, Southampton and Liverpool less than 1 mph quicker than London."
Edmund King, President, The AA

The bike patrols will target 'quick fix' breakdowns such as flat batteries, wheel changes and simple electrical faults. These problems cause over a third of the 3.6 million breakdowns attended by the AA each year, often causing lengthy traffic jams.

The new bikes – which include environment friendly zero-emission electric scooters – are expected to cut up to 25 per cent from peak time breakdown wait times, which average around 50 minutes in central London. The AA's response times are already market-leading as supported by a recent Which? survey.

The AA is making significant investment in further improving its response times and fourteen experienced AA patrols have been selected to ride the motorbikes, supported by a dedicated motorcycle recovery van in London. This will be supplemented in the coming months by five dedicated motorbike repair and recovery vans. They join a fleet of over 500 AA van patrols who cover central London and inside the M25.

Whilst I oppose the thought of supporting car use, the AA provide a service which assist motorists and reduces congestion, congestion itself is a major contributor to increased transportation CO2 emissions, and may be responsible for over 9m tonnes of CO2 annually in the UK. Compounded with the statistics from the AA on average speeds in our major cities, it seems that now is the time to get out of the car and search for an alternative to the gridlock. Getting on your bike you wouldn't be hard pushed to exceed 10mph for central london, and with a bit of effort 16.9mph for all of london. Switching to public transport, you can somewhat relax, sit back and enjoy the ride, and if this wasn't proof enough see my next post about Top Gear.

Zero Emission Vehicles Can Be Fun to Drive

The Morgan LifeCar is a concept car due to be launched at the Geneva Show in March 2008. The LifeCar’s purpose is to demonstrate that a zero emission vehicle can also be fun to drive. The combination of performance, range and fuel economy will allow a sporting driver of the future to demonstrate a concern for the environment.

Going far beyond the incremental adaptation of traditional car designs as seen in current hybrid vehicles, it will demonstrate that a new step in vehicle architecture is enabled by the use of a fuel cell hybrid power train.

The approach is one of whole system design in which the architecture is generated from the characteristics of the fuel cell, in a light-weight vehicle coupled with a high hybridization level. This combination will minimise the fuel cell cost and provide the fuel economy for a 200 mile range. An objective of the project is to lower the entry barriers for a vehicle powered by a hydrogen fuel cell.

Core to the success of the project will be collaboration between partners to achieve system-level innovation in the design. The collaborators are Oscar Automotive, Cranfield University, QinetiQ, Oxford University, Linde AG and Morgan Motor Company.

The Woman Who Stops Traffic

With road transport being a major contributor to UK CO2 emissions, with approximately 91m tonnes emitted annually, and up 1.3% on 2006. Channel Four last night screened the Woman Who Stops Traffic, one woman named Kris, with her aim of reducing gridlock in the town of Marlow, Buckinghamshire, which has one of the highest car ownership rates in the country, through a no car day.

Focusing her efforts on three different local traffic hot spots, the eight local schools, high street and the industrial estate which employs 8000 residents. After a harsh initial response from community leaders and the community itself, a four week campaign to promote the car free day on 01 February, Kris and her supports eagerly watched on to see if the fruits of their labour, council money and the future of Marlow. A shaky start saw large numbers of vehicles at day break, but by morning, the areas around the traffic hot spots were literally no car zones. Reducing traffic by up to 40%, and reducing those pupils that travel to school by car to only 10%.

If you missed the first episode in this new series, why not log on to 4oD, to stream or download the latest channel four television shows. Is this the model for the rest of the country?

The show follows on from Transport for London's latest increase in the congestion charge for cars which exceed emissions of 225g/km (or for cars manufactured before March 2001, an engine size over 3.0 litres). Cars that do not meet the new threshold will be forced to pay a congestion charge of £25. But the types of car that fall into this category include some family favourites, with some larger vehicles such as the Land Rover Freelander 2 2.2, BMW X5 3.0d and Porsche Boxster 2.7 falling into the lower price category.

To find out if your car is over or under check out the government website, VCA Car Fuel Data.

"Some really surprising cars will be caught by the £25 charge. A 2.0-litre petrol Vauxhall Zafira - a family MPV - emits 228g/km of CO2 and will have to pay. And there are plenty of 4x4s and sports cars that will pay the minimum charge of £8."
Dan Stevens, News Editor, Autocar

An alternative to the car is train travel is often seen as a relatively clean way to travel, and rightly so. The carbon emissions produced by train travel are between two to three times less than by road. Currently, rail travel accounts for about 7% of traffic but emits only about 0.2% of the carbon monoxide, 2% of nitrous oxides and 1% of volatile organic compounds produced by the transportation sector. The best electric trains produce less than a third of carbon than diesel trains, and with the efficiency of electricity production improving this too will get better. The trouble is, only 40% of trains in the UK are electric, the lowest proportion in Europe.

I will be reviewing the new more efficient, carbon friendly and shorter Eurostar service to Paris, in May, as I take a short trip to London and Paris (if Eurostar would like to send me free tickets just let me know). For more information on train travel, the Man in Seat Sixty-One can help.

Whilst on the topic of trains, and in more general terms Stagecoach, the firm that operates bus services across the UK, holding a 16% market share, and controls 25% of the rail market, including South West Trains, East Midlands Trains, and a 49% stake in Virgin Trains, the operator of the West Coast Main Line. This week announced "encouraging" like-for-like revenue growth was 14% on train services and up 7% on bus services compared with the same period (fours months from Oct 31).

Sorry for the late updates as I have been very busy at work and ill lately. In positive terms it has made me think about greening my work more as a solution to future unresolved problems. The news over transport emissions in recent weeks has shown that we need to tackle what is a growing dependence on cars, with the main method by local and national government of getting those out of their cars via green taxes, but are these effective methods?.

With ever increasing fuel costs, added tax is certainly pricing lowest income families out of the market, the new £25 congestion charge and higher road taxes will focus on high CO2 emitting vehicles, the majority of which are the highest priced and aimed at the luxury market. The hefty increase will certainly serve as deterant to high emitting cars in London, and should make people think twice about what they buy, as in future the bar will be lowered to include more cars.

I do not live in London, but since Tuesday night I have been transfixed about buying a new bike, as a method of travelling to and from work and general exercise, maybe even for my late night lurks to Tesco. But in a funny way I find myself asking the same questions as aired in the Woman Who Stops Traffic. Where will I lock it up? Will it be safe? Will I be safe? ... I shall update you on my outcome next week when I will confirm my final decisions. Which I hope will be a resounding "get on yer bike". As I am a bike newbie any advice would be welcome, hence I might ask some blogger out there in the field to write an article.

Dirty Polluting Lorry ... £200 Please

Each year in London, approximately 1000 people die prematurely as a result of poor air quality. From today any vehicle in excess of 12t entering the Low Emissions Zone, covering 610sq miles, which is not certified as meeting EU exhaust limits will be required to pay a £200 fee. Failure to make payment will result in a fine of £1000.

By July the scheme will be extended to include coaches and buses, and by 2010 will include some vans and lorries (trucks).

The LEZ is in operation 24 hours a day, unlike the Congestion Charge which operates from 0700 to 1800 each day. According to TfL, traffic in the original central congestion charge zone fell 20% since the scheme began in 2003, expexted a further fall of 15% when it expanded the zone size and increased the fee in 2007.

All lorries made after October 2001 automatically comply with the EU standards of particulate emissions of 0.05g per km. Older vehicles can be adapted to comply with the rules.

TfL has identified 120,000 lorries of over 12 tonnes inside the zone during the previous six months of monitoring and estimates that approximately 10% do not meet EU standards.

"Despite significant improvements in recent years, London's air pollution is the worst of any city in the UK and among the worst in Europe. The LEZ aims to reduce traffic pollution by deterring the most individually polluting diesel-engine lorries, buses, coaches, minibuses and large vans from driving within our city."
Nick Fairholme, Operations Management, Low Emissions Zone (London)

A further 70 LEZ are planned or currenly implemented across the EU. This new legislation will not only serve to improve air quality with non compliance vehicles being forced with a retrofit, it may also ensure commercial vehicles are replaced with newer, more efficient vehicles. With the inclusion of small lorries / vans in 2010 could see more companies switching to alternative commercial vehicles like the Modec, which is exempt from LEZ, Congestion Charge, parking fees and also offers free charging at some points in London. These measures should also reduce CO2 emissions in the areas they are trialled.

Separately this weekend, the ex-chairman of oil giant Shell, Sir Mark Moody-Stuart told BBC News that EU should ban the sale of cars that do under 35 miles to the gallon.

"We need very tough regulation saying that you can't drive or build something less than a certain standard. You would be allowed to drive an Aston Martin - but only if it did 50-60mpg. When we eliminated coal fires in London we didn't say to people in Chelsea you can pay a bit more and toast your crumpets in front of an open fire - we said nobody, but nobody, could have an open fire."

Read more from Sir Mark Moody-Stuart at the BBC Green Room.


Picture Reference Only

Carbon Neutral Car Insurance

In June 2006, the UK saw the launch of ibuyeco, a service from Budget Insurance offering "100% Carbon Neutral" car insurance. The idea follows on from most conventional car insurance comparison websites, with a value added CO2 offset offered via The Carbon Neutral Company, whose clients include: Silverjet, Avis Europe, American Express, Honda, Berkley Homes, Barclays Bank, BSkyB, Royal & Sun Alliance, Volvo, and Bovis Lend Lease. Emissions are calculated by using details provided in the quotation process (ie car, CO2 emissions and annual mileage). For example a person travelling 10 000 miles annually in a small car would likely according to the quote process, emit 2.6 tonnes of CO2. This would cost approximately £20 to offset, a cheap price for a clear conscience, right?.

I have stated before I am not an advocate of carbon offsetting, however I can see the benefit of such a scheme. On the downside users would have to be prepared initially to offset their emissions to use this scheme, otherwise you could simply purchase the insurance from an alternate provider for the insurance only cost. Users are trusted to be honest, in general this is not the case with some users reducing the annual mileage as a way to reduce the insurance cost, and thus providing a proportionate reduction in offset carbon. Users may become complacent, offsetting before reducing (driving by car 0.5 mile because it offset, rather than walking).

Carbon offsets are a short term fix to reducing CO2 emissions, they do work if the projects are legitimate and projects managed correctly. But are they unsustainable in the long term? There are only so many residents of developing countries you can give energy saving bulbs to offset emissions. For example Climate Care estimate that energy saving bulbs have a net offset of 20kg of CO2 per year. The average person in the UK offsetting all their emissions would need to supply 450 bulbs through such schemes over a period of five years. Investment into renewable energy technology, has potentially a longer life and will most likely provide the realistic offsets of the future. As well as this we could see more wind farm co-operatives being developed.

Since lauching ibuyeco have, in their first three months offset over 18 000 tonnes of CO2 (0.02% of all emissions from road travel in the UK), certainly not an achievement to be scorned at.

As I have been negative about carbon offsets lately, there are positives of such projects. In the short term they provide independent financial backing for projects, which in many cases would not have been carried out otherwise, providing immediate reductions in CO2 emissions. This also is helping government meet renewable energy targets within the UK, where projects fund such developments. It would be encouraging to see more carbon offset companies using revenue to support renewable energy projects in the UK, especially large scale wind. Many companies support projects in developing countries where, it makes more sense ethically and financially to invest, and rates per tonne of CO2 are substantially lower than that in the UK, but is this at the cost of the quality of life within the United Kingdom, through increased death, hospital admissions and short term illness caused by air pollution, offset projects in the UK could potentially lead to savings of billions in taxpayer revenues.

Summarising, I think I am coming around to carbon offsets as a short term fix (within reason, like a bridging loan) but in the longer term energy efficiency and carbon offsets focused in the United Kingdom are what is needed to "fuel" a low carbon economy, providing real financial backing for renewable energy projects, and could prove to be financially beneficial to the government and its people.

Is ibuyeco good or bad? What is your opinion?

Drive Efficiency ... Drive Efficiently

Changing your car to a new environmentally friendly model may not be easy for us all. But there are some ways you can reduce your fuel consumption, save money and help the environment too. The following simple tips could save the average driver £120 a year and reduce your CO2 emissions by 200kg per year.

• Gear Changes
  Change up before 2,500rpm (petrol) and 2,000rpm (diesel).
  
  
• Plan Ahead
  Anticipate road conditions and drive smoothly, avoiding sharp acceleration and heavy braking. This saves fuel and reduces accident rates.
  
  
• Air Con
  Use air conditioning sparingly as it significantly increases fuel consumption.
  
  
• Kill Your Speed
  The most efficient speed depends upon the car in question but is typically around 55 - 65mph. Faster speed will greatly increase your fuel consumption.
  
  
• Don't Wait Around
  Drive away immediately when starting from cold - idling to heat the engine wastes fuel and causes rapid engine wear.
  
  
• Aerodynamics
  Roof racks, bike carriers, and roof boxes significantly affect your car's aerodynamics and reduce fuel efficiency, so remember to remove them when not in use.
  
  
• Avoid Short Distances
  A cold engine uses almost twice as much fuel and catalytic converters can take five miles to become effective. Walking or bikes can be a great alternative to short journeys.
  
  
• Plan Your Route
  Plan your journeys to avoid congestion, road works and getting lost. Sat Nav and online map services such as Google Maps can help you find the way.
  
  
• Tyre Pressure
  Under-inflated tyres are dangerous and can increase fuel consumption by up to 3%.
  
  
• Switch Off
  Stuck in a jam, switch the engine off if you expect to be there for more than a minute or two. Cutting the engine will save fuel and reduce emissions.
  
  

Green Labels: Fuel Economy Label

The UK Fuel Economy Label for all new cars can help you choose a vehicle which is fuel efficient and gives out fewer carbon emissions. It is similar to the European Energy label. By choosing a fuel efficient car, you can help tackle climate change.

The label shows how much carbon dioxide a car emits. Carbon dioxide is the main greenhouse gas responsible for climate change.

The label also gives estimated fuel costs for 12,000 miles and the Vehicle Tax for 12 months so you can see how much these will cost before you buy. Lower carbon dioxide emissions mean lower Vehicle Tax and lower running costs. You can also find out more about vehicle emissions and petrol costs for the majority of cars available in the UK at VCA Car Fuel Data.

The label has been introduced voluntarily by the car industry under the auspices of the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership which was set up with Government funding. Members include car companies and environmental groups.

Video: Eco Rally Brighton to London

Television presenter Robert Llewellyn (Scrapheap Challenge and Red Dwarf) records his part in the Eco Rally from Brighton to London on Tuesday 5th June, driving the Modec electric van.

Part One
Part Two

White Van Man Turns Green with Modec

Modec launched their electric powered van to the public in March, since then they have notched up over 130 sales. Available in three variations from bare chassis cabs (£25,000), to flat bed and tipper variants (around £27,000) to fully built up 12m³ box vans (£30,000). Demand has been so high that you will need to wait in excess of eight weeks to get your hands on one.

The vans have up to a 100 mile range, which easily exceeds the 62 miles travelled by the average van in the UK, only this vehicle emits zero emissions (other than that from electricity generation). This means that the Modec is exempt from road tax, the congestion charge, and an operators license fee, plus you can also charge your Modec for free at many of the recharge stations in London. Not only is the Modec environmentally friendly during its life it is also made from 90% materials which in the end can be easily recycled.

The operating cost of the van is only about three pence per mile (excluding the battery charge), and can carry two tonnes of payload at speeds of up to 50 miles an hour.

The business world has been impressed by the potential of the vehicles with Tesco ordering 15 Modec for their home delivery services at Tesco’s new environmental store in Shrewsbury and at various locations in London. With other supermarket chains in talks with Modec keen to follow Tesco's lead, we could certainly be seeing more of these vehicles on the roads in the next few years.

Watch David Cameron's views on the Modec after a visit to the Modec factory in Coventry.

You can see this and many other eco-friendly vehicles at the June 5th Eco-Rally, when environmentally friendly vehicles will battle it out in a 52 mile drive from Brighton to London. The event will also offer accompanying free displays at the Science Museum and Trafalgar Square. You can track the eco-rally online at the Revolve website or on the big screens in Trafalgar Square.