Revolve Eco-Rally 2009 | Vehicles & Drivers
Forty-five low carbon vehicles were on display at City Hall, half of which took part in this year's Eco-Rally. 90% are from the world's major car brands and many of the cars and/or components are designed and built in Britain. The remainder are British innovation firms.
The cars were driven by a diverse range of familiar faces including magicians, comedians, designers, politicians and authors.
Vehicles
- The first four-seater electric cars available in Britain (including the Mitsubishi iMIEV, runner-up for 2009 World Green Car*)
- The UK's first electric taxi (Allied Vehicles).
- The Tesla Roadster (often referred to as "the world's first serious electric car")
- Park + Power's electric vehicle recharging station
- Nissan's fifth-generation fuel cell prototype vehicle
- ITM Power, Europe’s largest electrolyser and fuel cell company will attempt to make the entire journey in their bi-fuel hydrogen ICE car
- The most affordable hybrid family car yet.
- The new Toyota Prius
- The most powerful and most environmentally-friendly Lotus Exige ever built.
- The winner of the What Car? Green Awards
- The 2009 winner of the World Car Design award*
- Six of the top ten finalists in 2009 World Green car awards*
- A new, greener version of the 2008 World Green Car winner*
- A municipal rubbish truck that "runs on rubbish"
* The World Car Award winners are selected by 59 top-level automotive journalists from 25 countries.
Notable Technology:
- Electric vehicles using advanced lithium battery technology for longer-life and quick recharging
- Hydrogen combustion engines and fuels cells
- Driver aids which teach and encourage energy-efficient driving behaviour
- Auto "stop & go" technology - cuts noise, heat and tailpipe emissions in heavy traffic.
- Hybrids
Range of fuels:
- Renewable electricity courtesy of Southern Electric
- Hydrogen
- Bio-Methanol
- Bio-Ethanol
- Methanol
- Petrol
- Diesel
* The World Car Award winners are selected by 59 top-level automotive journalists from 25 countries.
Guest Drivers & Speakers
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In between his work with The Ecologist and the Conservative Party, Zac raises funds for groups around the world dealing with a broad range of environmental and conservation issues. He helped to establish a number of Environmental foundations that......MORE >> |
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Tracey Smith is a writer and broadcaster on sustainable living and......MORE >> |
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After graduating in physics Steven became a researcher, consultant, lobbyist, project manager and now he is an events organiser! He hopes that others also see him as a communicator of ideas. Steven works with new sustainable technologies in the transport and power sectors, and has particular......MORE >> |
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Robert Llewellyn is an actor, presenter, and......MORE >> |
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Quentin Willson is one of Britain's best-known motoring authorities. He spent over a decade presenting BBC's Top Gear alongside Jeremy Clarkson (and "VBH") and was largely......MORE >> |
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Penney Poyzer is one of the UK’s leading environmentalists. She is much in demand across the media - and for corporate clients - as a commentator and inspiring speaker across the spectrum of environmental issues. She is regularly called on by BBC TV news and many national and local radio......MORE >> |
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Britain's top trickster with several hundred TV appearances and over twenty years experience performing in every type of venue in around thirty countries. Paul pioneered what has now become known as ‘street magic’ in a series of ground-breaking TV shows on Channel 4. He has presented or guest-......MORE >> |
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Christopher Maltin serves as the UK’s representative on the Bioenergy Committee of the International Energy Agency. In the 1970's, his pioneering and highly successful work on lead-free fuel systems for high performance engines led to an interest in methane gas as a 'clean' fuel for vehicles.......MORE >> |
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Oliver Heath is one of Britain's most innovative and well-respected interior designers. Since winning the prestigious title of Young Designer of the Year in 1998, Oliver has gone on to further acclaim on our television screens. He was snapped up by the BBC to bring eco-chic to ......MORE >> |
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Mike spent much of his early youth in Africa - often helping his father make cars & motorcycles go quickly round a track - and dreamed of one day becoming a car designer. Now living in London, he prefers the speed of the bicycle through the city streets. He has a degree in Ecological Design......MORE >> |
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Lucy Siegle is a BBC One Show presenter, ethical living columnist for The Guardian and The Observer and chair of the Ecover Observer......MORE >> |
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Jonathan is deputy director for the LowCVP, having run the Energy Saving Trust’s transport programme for several years. The Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership is an action and advisory group promoting the reduction of Carbon Emissions......MORE >> |
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John Surtees OBE is truly unique in motorsport. Riding for the celebrated MV Augusta team, he won seven World Championships between 1956 and 1960. Then - with nothing left to prove - he made the transition from two wheels to four, winning the Formula One World Championship with Ferrari in 1964.......MORE >> |
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Joanna Yarrow is one of the UK’s leading experts in sustainable living. Having grown up in a Sussex wood she knows all about the traditional ‘Good Life’, but doesn’t want to go back to peeing on the compost heap. So she specialises in making green living attractive and......MORE >> |
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Jenny Jones is an ex-archaeologist and former chair of the Green party. She also occasinally writes for The Guardian. Elected to the London Assembly in 2000, she is the leader of the Green group in the assembly; in 2003, she was appointed Ken Livingstone's deputy mayor, a position which has been......MORE >> |
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Carl is the author of best-selling books like: In Praise of Slow......MORE >> |
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Boris Johnson is the current Mayor of London and has held shadow government posts as Vice Chairman, Shadow Minister for the Arts and Shadow Minister of Higher Education. He is an avid......MORE >> |
