Going Green

The writing seems to be on the wall.  Most manufacturers now seem to be following a zero emissions electric course.  I think the closest we have in real terms will be the launch of the Nissan Leaf which you can already  reserve with Nissan .http://www.nissan.co.uk/vehicles/electric-vehicles/electric-leaf.htm?cid=pselectricvehicleUK_enelectricvehiclelocuk&kw=Nissan_leaf#vehicles/electric-vehicles/electric-leaf

It seems a competent enough vehicle, but it fills me with dread.  First off is the charging of the thing.  Yes I have off road parking but not sure a 3m cable will reach.  Then the range is quoted as 109 miles NEDC (New European Driving Cycle) which I am not sure it will come close to in the real world.  Lights, wipers, aircon, hills wind resistance will all play there part in losing power. Then price, Nissan would like is £30,990 but with a government grant of £5000 it takes it down to £25,990 ouch ! Where Nissan go then Reanult are sure to follow with a the Renault Zoe due in 2012 and the Renault Fluence not far behind.

After a brief chat with my local council have just discovered my town has no charging points available at the moment, I think a little more research is in order.

So if you still fancy going green and zero emissions are a bit too avant garde then Toyota with their range of hybrids Prius, Auris and IQ may be the answer.  Electric when you need it and the power of petrol on tap too.  The £20.145 Toyota Auris hybrid quotes a combined fuel economy figure of 74.34, not too shabby if achievable in the real world.

Fiat have taken a different approach with their 500 Twin Air and using small turbocharged petrol engines have kept co2(g/km) down to 95 and a combined fuel figure of 69.9 .  Reasonable too at a starting price of £10865.http://www.fiat.co.uk/500twinair/?campaignid=PPC1313

And it goes on with VW using their Bluemotion Technology across the Polo Golf and Passat ranges.

So going green is not a simple choice, you have Zero Emission electric, Hybrid electric petrol, then much more efficient petrol and diesel models now on offer.  It seem to boil down to the size of your budget and your commitment to reducing your consumption of fossil fuel.  But it seems electric is going to be big.