LoveLondon's Toyota Prius Hybrid on hire from Zipcar Car-Club
Submitted by Zipcar on 22 June, 2008 - 01:05
LoveLondon and the Green.tv film crew drove their Toyota Prius hybrid Zipcar in the People's Eco-Rally 2008. The car-sharing company also displayed one of their MINIs at the finish line on Clapham Common. Over a third of Zipcar customers have either sold their car or have stopped their purchasing decision.
Zipcars like the Prius are available for hire all over Brighton and London, giving people the chance to drive a zero emission vehicle whenever they need to - without having to afford the premium purchase price.
Driven correctly, hybrid cars such as the Toyota Prius and Honda Civic Hybrid produce no emissions when in electric-only mode. In congested city centres such as London motorists travel no faster than they did using a horse & cart in the 19th century. Hybrids are congestion charge exempt, but unlike the average battery-powered quadricycle, they are full-sized saloons and their electric motors are charged by the engine, making them good for long distance trips too.
"People driving into London during the day can save up to £2000 a year by driving a Prius - and even those residents who get a 90 per cent discount can save several hundred pounds on council charges" - Roger Hart, Jemca Toyota
Some safety campaigners have raised concerns that a hybrid or fully-electric vehicle could pose a danger to other road-users, especally visually-impaired pedestrians and several artificial sounders are being developed. However, a specially-comissioned study suggests if the world was full of electric vehicles, crossing the road would be no more dangerous than it is today.
What if all cars were zero emissions? In an increasing number of countries, that would just mean being stuck in a traffic-jam would be a more pleasant way to waste your time - but it doesn't have to be that way...
Hybrid video
Sir Stirling Moss and others discuss technology and driving experience, plus how to get all the benefits of a hybrid without actually having to buy one.
