Superminis

What if there was more space to drive and more space to park...

In the UK, most motorists drive to work alone, carrying only minimal luggage, meaning more than half the vehicle is usually 'dead weight and wasted space’. Many households feel they need the flexibility of more than one car, so it makes sense to either car-share or make that second vehicle as small as possible.


Chronic congestion has reached record levels in some cities. The UK's biggest breakdown organisation now uses the motorbikes and electric scooters to cut through traffic and reach breakdowns in central London up to 33% quicker, getting members and other traffic moving again with minimum delay.

Way back in 1956, company founder Soichiro Honda said: "After materials are carried into the factory, nothing but products should be carried out." Today, this has been achieved with zero waste to landfill at all Japanese manufacturing plants and Swindon to achieve this by 2010.

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Fresh from the Geneva Motor Show, the Indica Vista EV offers the real practicality of a small family hatchback, with the benefits of a highly efficient all electric drivetrain. 25 of these vehicles have been built in the UK and are taking part in the CABLED demonstration programme, commencing June 2010. When it hits the showrooms, the Tata Vista EV will be an incredibly affordable and capable electric car with all the features you expect from a small family hatchback.

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The stripped down TH!NK City racing car represents a new racing class, CityEV for city-focused, production vehicle in use today. The racing series is run by EV Cup and Roger Saul and Kevin McCloud are undertaking a series of electric vehicle challenges in the run-up to the race series. 

Best Buy are showcasing some of the best and most affordable electric transport at the Bridgestone Eco-Rally - all of which will be available in their stores. Best Buy customers will also be able to charge their electric cars for free whilst they shop at all Best Buy stores in the UK.

 

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MINI has always represented engineering innovation and design ingenuity at it best. The MINI E continues that tradition - striking design combined with high performance and a state-of-the-art electric drivetrain.

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For over thirty years, the Alto has been one of the most environmentally friendly petrol-powered family cars on the market. Autocar summed it up as; “a small car which does all the things very small cars used to do simply, honestly, without frills and with lots of interactivity."

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The Brighton to London Eco-Rally was a breeze for the Polo Bluemotion - it could've started in Geneva without needing to re-fuel. What Car? associate editor Roger Stansfield put the new car to the test and it passed with flying colours, beating its official combined fuel economy figure.

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Join What Car? reporters as they go head-to-head in the Eco-Rally to see which of their cars, a Fiat 500 and VW Polo Bluemotion, can get closest to its mpg figure. Gentlemen… turn off your air-conditioning, lights, stereo…


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Bridgestone Eco-Rally 2010 Vehicles