Family cars & MPVs
The Honda FCX Clarity Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) was named 2009 World Green Car by 59 World Car jurors from 25 countries worldwide. BBC Top Gear's James May described it as "the most important car ever", and now - finally - Revolve gets to drive it, along with the Positive TV film crew at the Copenhagen Climate Change summit.
The now rare first generation Toyota Prius was the world's first mass-produced hybrid car (1997). It was sold at roughly half the price that it cost to produce (let alone develop) - a bold statement of Toyota's pioneering commitment to reducing emissions.
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.
Most city-folk can go for weeks without needing a car, but when we do, we like to treat ourselves. Streetcar is currently the UK's biggest car club and one of their strengths is their attractive, low-emission vehicle range. In 2007 they teamed up with VW to launch the 2007 Polo BlueMotion in the UK. Now all their VW cars and vans carry the Bluemotion badge, plus they now stock BMWs with Efficient Dynamics, including the 118d - 2008 World Green Car of the Year.
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.
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.
The unique Oaktec developed Honda Civic Hybrid CVT rally car is to make its first journey to the South Coast when it takes on the 2010 Brighton to London Eco-Rally. The car which is more used to hammering through remote Scottish rally special stages will take on the more gentle task of this demonstration ride into the Capital, driven by Lisa Rogers.
ITM Power's specially adapted Ford Focus is an example of how conventioanl engines can be fuelled on 'Green Hydrogen'. This can be produced anywhere using only water and renewable electricity using ITM’s world-beating electrolyser technology. For this year's Eco-Rally, guest drivers include a BBC Click journalist and Quentin Willson.
Brigade will demonstrate an electric car fitted with a broadband sounder to show how a sound can alert of danger without causing a noise nuisance. The company are calling for sounders to be fitted to prevent fatalities.
‘pedestrians are twice as likely to be struck by a slow moving electric vehicle.’- US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System
Really Green Driving has just launched franchises open to all UK driving instructors. Really Green Driving's students are currently taught eco-driving techniques in the same Volkswagen Polo Bluemotion model that featured in the Eden Project's first Sexy Green Car Show.
