Category: Environment

Renault works on an electric car
Renault has confirmed it is currently working on an electric car due to be launched by 2012.
In an interview with AutoExpress, Renault’s Executive Vice President, Plan, Product Planning and Programs, Patrick Pelata has revealed that the carmaker is working on an electric powered model. Company’s executives hope the car will be ready for the 2012 London Olympic Games. Pelata also gave some details about the future unique model. It will be about the same size as the Twingo. What’s interesting about this future model is the possibility to choose between two battery packs. One pack will be dedicated to short distances while the other pack will be designed for larger trips.
Pelata hasn’t said whether Renault will reuse Nissan technology. The Japanese carmaker is also developing an electric vehicle expected to be launched in 2010. Renault’s city car will be the company’s serious attempt to take on established rivals like the Smart ForTwo but also the G-Wiz and the Th!nk City on a fast-growing market segment.
This isn’t the first time the French carmaker is considering launching an electric urban model. In 1992, the carmaker had unveiled the Zoom concept car (pictured) born of common research by Renault and Matra into modern electric vehicle. The Zoom featured an innovative modular wheelbase variable between 2.65m and 2.30m in action when the vehicle is stopped. Width remained constant at 1.52m, which means Zoom was 23cm higher in retracted wheelbase configuration. The electric engine delivered a power of 34bhp.
April 26, 2008
Th!nk wants to conquer the US
Th!nk has announced it will launch its City model on the American market next year with the long-term target to sell between 30,000 and 50,000 vehicles per year.
The American marker seems to be finally ready to welcome small cars at a time when a gallon of gas hits the $3.50 mark. The Norwegian is determined to hold a share of the future market segment. Backed by American investors, the company will start selling its unique model, the City from next year. Final specifications still need to be decided but the company’s CEO Jan Olaf Willums has revealed in an interview with Automotive News that the City is expected to cost between $15,000 and $17,000. As British consumers, we have the right to be upset when the same car is expected to be sold at around £15,000 in the UK.
With such a competitive price compared to the UK, Th!nk hopes to sell between 30,000 and 50,000 units per year. If the $17,000 price tag looks appealing for US, the situation is different in the US. A Chevrolet Malibu able to sit five passengers starts at $20,295. General Electric has invested £2 million in Th!nk, and Rockport and Kleiner Perkins have joined the list of investors.
April 25, 2008
New Congestion Charge might increase CO2 emissions by 182,000 tonnes
Porsche goes a step further in challenging the Congestion Charge by unveiling the conclusion of a report from King’s College never publicly released by Transport for London. The report reveals that new emissions-related congestion charge is estimated by TfL’s own consultants to increase CO2 in Greater London by 182,000 tonnes.
The report prepared for TfL by King’s College London’s ‘Environmental Research Group’ uses models to assess the impact of the new charge on emissions and its results show that the new charge is predicted to create a “very high disbenefit” not only for CO2 but also for NOx, NO2 and PM10. The report also shows that there will be an increase in CO2 emitted in Greater London in each year from 2009. By 2012, research shows that in Outer London the increase in CO2 will be nearly 184,000 tonnes, with just 2,200 tonnes saved in Central London giving a net increase of 182,000 tonnes.
The report also concludes that the Congestion Charge doesn’t solve the pollution problem but moves it out of Central London. Because of this new charge, drivers are likely to increase their mileage outside of and around the zone and thus increase their emissions. It shows that “most of the emissions impacts happen in the outer location and this is a direct result of the high car traffic flow in the outer zone and the change of the vehicle km in this location.”
This research was in part used by TfL as they took the figures from the King’s report for NOx and PM10 directly from it; however, its findings in relation to CO2 emissions were not revealed and the full report has never before been released.
April 9, 2008
TH!NK wants to conquer Australia
After Norway, Sweden, England, France and the US, TH!NK will start selling its City model in Australia.
The TH!NK City is an interesting electric car far from the clichés. Compared to the G-Wiz well, it can’t be compared to the Wizz because it’s not a quadricycle. The TH!NK city is a true, modern urban car which accelerates from zero to 30 mph in just 6.5 seconds and 50 mph in 16 seconds and can travel for 124 miles in city driving on a fully charged battery. The two seater has a top speed of 65 miles per hour and a full charge from a domestic electricity socket takes just ten hours. However the City has a hefty price. The expected retail price of TH!NK City is £14,000.
To sell at large scale, there is no better way than selling in the world. TH!NK’s founder Jan Olaf Willums also professor or management, has decided to sell the car everywhere where governments encourage alternative energies.
April 6, 2008
Future Honda hybrid to fit standard nickel-metal hydride batteries
Honda CEO Takeo Fukui has revealed more details about the future low-cost hybrid model due to be unveiled at the next Paris Motor Show.
The closer we get to the launch date, the more Honda reveals about its mass-market hybrid models which will take on the established rivals in term of volume sales. The future model will be fitted with standard nickel-metal hydride power packs. Honda President Takeo Fukui says the technology is still too unreliable to go into mass production. "Lithium-ion batteries are still not usable from our perspective," Fukui told Automotive News in an interview at Honda’s Tokyo headquarters on Wednesday, March 19. "In terms of reliability and durability, I must say there still remain some concerns," he said. "I don’t think they are necessarily best suited for mass-produced vehicles."
Fukui’s statement stands out against other carmakers as GM, Toyota, Nissan and Mitsubishi have announced plans to sell cars equipped with lithium-ion batteries. The Japanese carmaker remains wary as it wants the hybrids to make up 10 percent of sales by 2012. The future hybrid model is expected to find 200,000 buyers every year.
March 26, 2008
Livingstone tells Porsche to drop CC challenge
London Mayor Ken Livingstone has told Porsche to stop challenging the new Congestion Charge scheme.
Last week, the German carmaker announced it would make formal application for judicial review to challenge the new congestion charge scheme which unpleased the London mayor. Porsche had conducted a survey in last February showing that 74% of Londoners believed the congestion charge was unfair.
This week Livingstone unveiled a new survey that unsurprisingly showed that almost two-thirds of Londoners backed the scheme. "Luxury car manufacturers such as Porsche should take the hint and put their energy into reducing the carbon emissions of their cars instead of pursuing pointless legal action against this ground-breaking policy," he said.
Porsche confirmed it will press ahead with its legal challenge.
March 19, 2008
British drivers ignore green pressures
The car hypermarket chain Carcraft reveals that we appear to be ignoring attempts to force us into smaller and greener cars.
Figures released by used car hypermarket chain Carcraft, show that sales of cars with engines of 2000cc and above increased last year despite the introduction of higher vehicle duty and the increasing cost of petrol.
Car buyers opting for larger vehicles made up 11.5% of all sales in the first ten months of 2007, compared to 9.5% in 2006. This is the first time that larger cars have represented more than one in ten used cars sold in the UK. Older, male drivers are leading this trend. Over three-quarters (79%) of drivers buying cars over 3000cc were male and a quarter (26%) were men aged between 51 and 65 years old.
The research from Carcraft looked at a representative sample of 50,000 sales out of its total car sales nationwide, from the first ten months of 2006 and 2007.
March 19, 2008
Porsche to request for judicial review
Porsche has announced it will make formal application for judicial review to challenge the new congestion charge scheme.
Porsche will file a request for judicial review after TfL and Ken Livingstone (pictured) have rejected the carmaker’s request to change the new congestion charge due to apply next October.
After Porsche files the request, The Mayor will then have 21 days to acknowledge the Porsche claim.
Responding to the Mayor’s decision, Andy Goss, Managing Director of Porsche Cars GB, said: “The new £25 charge will have no meaningful impact on congestion and TfL’s own figures show the anticipated CO2 emissions savings in a year could be equivalent to less than four hours of emissions from Heathrow. All it will do is unfairly hit large numbers of drivers in London and undermine London’s attractiveness as a place to do business. We are therefore formally applying for judicial review to challenge the Mayor’s proposals and we are confident we have a strong case.”
March 12, 2008
Geneva: Think Ox
The Norwegian carmaker has unveiled a new model at Geneva under the the shape of a compact model due to be launched next year.
While the City model hasn’t been on sale everywhere in Europe, the carmaker is working hard on its latest project, the Ox. With this compact model, Think will try to go mainstream by offering a car that can match the characteristics and the performances of a normal compact model.
Technical details remain scarce although Think claims that the Ox can run the 0-62mph in 6.9 seconds and offer a range of 124 miles. The Ox is estimated to weigh in around £26,000 which is a lot compared to any compact model available on the market. However, with rising gas prices, the OX might become an interesting offer as the company claims that 1km will cost £0.76.
If the carmaker announced a launch date sometimes next year, the Ox is far from being built. Indeed, Think wants to establish a partnership with a carmaker to produce the Ox at a large scale. A announcement was expected at Geneva, Think surprised the industry by unveiling another king of announcement, an investment from GE. The American giant has invested £3million in the company and £20million in the battery provider A123 Systems. With such a financial support, Think might finally take off.
March 10, 2008
Honda delivers a Fuel Cell vehicle to the first customer ever
The revolutionary Honda FCX, an advanced hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle, was delivered on June 29 to the Spallino family, who signed a 2-year agreement with Honda. They’ll use the FCX as an ordinary vehicle for everyday’s commute, in California. Reducing pollution is a big concern in California, and last April, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced the state’s commitment to a Hydrogen Highway built underway by 2010 with both public and private money. Without this, the delivery of a fuel cell vehicle would not have been possible. The fleet will be extended to 13 cars throughout the USA.
The Spallino’s invaluable experience will help Honda develop this technology. The FCX is the only vehicle certified by US EPA (environmental protection agency) and CARB (California’s air resource board) . It can run even at subfreezing temperatures, returns 62mpg for a range of 190 miles, with no emission..
June 30, 2005