All hands to the pumps in drive to get green cars going

As petrol prices soar and the Prime Minister backs eco-friendly transport, Hazel Mollison finds the pressure is on to develop electric and hydrogen cars to save drivers money and cut CO2 emissions.

GORDON BROWN wants us to embrace them in order to save the planet. But for the majority of motorists "green" cars powered by electricity and hydrogen still exist in the same bracket as eating lentils and wearing sandals. They're all right for some, but not really my thing.With growing numbers of manufacturers starting to put green cars on the road which bear comparison to the best-selling petrol models, is all that about to change?From tiny battery-powered cars designed to zip through city traffic to hybrids which switch from electric to petrol, there is a small but growing choice of alternatives to the traditional gas guzzler. Manufacturers are even developing cars which can be filled with hydrogen at home, cutting out trips to refuel.Mr Brown pledged his support for the move to eco-friendly cars at the G8 conference, saying he would like conventional petrol engines to become a thing of the past by 2020. He wants all new cars sold in Britain to be electric or hybrid vehicles by then, producing less than 100 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometre. At the moment, the worst gas-guzzlers produce up to 500 grams per kilometre.But his announcement has been met with scepticism by some industry experts and motoring groups. They say this target is unrealistic and the demise of the petrol engine is a long way off. There's no doubt that shopping around for an energy-efficient car can save hundreds of pounds a year in running costs. Prices at fuel pumps have hit record highs and motorists have been warned that petrol could soon reach £1.50 a litre. Owners will also save money on road tax, which is higher for less efficient cars.One of the best-known "eco-friendly" cars is the Toyota Prius, which sold its millionth car this year. It saves fuel by switching to electric power for low-speed driving, while running on petrol at higher speeds.Dr Ben Lane, managing director of the What Green Car? website, said drivers were increasingly conscious of running costs, but still wary of the new technology."In general people's knowledge about alternative fuels is pretty low. Hybrid cars are doing well, but it's pretty small beer compared to overall car sales. "I think we will see changes over the next few years. There is limited choice at the moment, as there are only four hybrid cars available. Hydrogen cars are still quite a long way away."I think we're looking at a multi-fuel future. We'll see lots more variety at forecourts, including petrol, diesel, hydrogen and ethanol."For those looking to take green motoring to the limits, the tiny battery powered G-Wiz might be an option for driving in cities. Its top speed is only 40 mph, but its size makes it ideal for weaving in and out of congested streets. As well as being relatively cheap to buy, it costs only about 1p per mile to run. Hydrogen-powered cars have already hit the roads in Los Angeles, and are expected to be available in the UK within a few years. These are less polluting than conventional cars, as they produce only water vapour instead of exhaust gases.The British company ITM Power has just unveiled a new hydrogen-powered car, which comes complete with its own refuelling station. This converts mains electricity and water into hydrogen to power the car. IT has converted a Ford Focus to run on hydrogen, and claims this could cut costs and revolutionise commuting. Delivery vans could be using the technology within 12 months.An ITM Power spokesman said: "If you can fill your car up at home, you will have more security and be immune to price rises. You can imagine a scenario where people don't need to buy fuel at all."Although the prototype runs only 25 miles before it needs refuelling, they hope to increase this to 100 miles.Environmental campaigners are also keen to see consumers given more information when they buy cars.Owen Davis of Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: "We're really pushing for all car adverts to have information about the CO2 emissions. Some cars are much more energy efficient than others."There is a long way to go yet in convincing some drivers to make the jump.Bruce Young, of the Association of British Drivers, said he was sceptical about the green credentials of some of the new cars."You often find that hybrid cars are actually more polluting than the orthodox cars when you take into account the manufacture," he said. "On the other hand, every car manufacturer is putting a lot of investment into reducing CO2 emissions. I think drivers are more likely to be influenced by fuel economy than environmental benefits."With petrol prices continuing to rise, the day of the hybrid may be getting closer than we ever would have imagined.