Press Release :: 2007 Brighton to London Eco-Rally

The Prince of Wales to Launch Revolve Eco Car Events
during London Sustainability Weeks

As a lead up to the UK's first ever eco-car rally on World Environment Day, HRH The Prince of Wales will lend his support at a pre-rally launch demonstrating some of the cars involved on Monday 4 June at Hampton Court Palace. This event will give a preview of the vehicles in action at the rally, and allow The Prince to show his personal support for technological solutions that will move us towards zero emissions and sustainable motoring.

The following day Revolve, an organisation which champions sustainable transport, will stage the Brighton-to-London Eco Car Rally on World Environment Day, Tuesday, 5 June 2007. The event will allow many of the major car-manufacturers, a number of innovative small businesses and key UK public- bodies to share their vision for sustainable transport.

Revolve founder, Steven Glaser, says "Revolve's mission is to promote and encourage the take up of sustainable transport technologies. We aim to demonstrate that solutions for a sustainable future are being sought, and to reclaim the positive aspects of personal mobility."

The events will showcase a range of vehicles – from scooters to vans to limousines – that use potential future fuels and technologies such as hydrogen fuel cells, hydrogen ICE*, hybrids/batteries and biofuels. The events will also promote car-sharing, through WhizzGo’s chauffeuring of our celebrities and dignitaries in their hybrid and LPG vehicles.

Quentin Willson, TV personality and motoring journalist, will launch the rally in Brighton. There will be a pit-stop en route in central Croydon where the Minister for Science and Innovation, Malcolm Wicks MP, will lead a public address. The finish line is Trafalgar Square, where the vehicles will be formally welcomed into the city by London’s Deputy Mayor Nicky Gavron.

Nicky Gavron said: “The Brighton to London eco rally is a great way to showcase the vehicles of the future. As the Chair of the London Hydrogen Partnership I want to demonstrate that new vehicles using alternative fuels and new technologies can offer the potential for lower carbon emissions and help to prevent runaway climate change.

“While these vehicles are being developed, you can still make choices to reduce your carbon emissions - I would urge Londoners when they next change their car, to choose the most fuel efficient car they can. CO2 emissions from road transport would fall by as much as 30 per cent if people simply bought the most fuel-efficient version of the car they want.”

Throughout the day at Trafalgar Square there will be prototype vehicles on display for the public to see, eco-driving demonstrations and video clips of the rally vehicles and other shorts.

Some of the vehicles will be on public display outside the Science Museum for a week from Sunday, 3 June.

* ICE = internal combustion engine