From mph to mpg: Motor industry displays its eco credentials

Patrick Barkham at ExCel, London
The Guardian,
Wednesday July 23, 2008


With its muscular sports cars presented by curvaceous models, the British International Motor Show has always been a shrine to the power of the internal combustion engine. But petrolheads will be shocked by the sacrilegious centrepiece of this year's show: a green "village" crowded with dinky electric cars, electric bicycles, and even a Lotus Eco Elise partly made out of hemp.
Mph and bhp are out. Mpg and grams of CO2 per km are the statistics every manufacturer is shouting about. On pedestals where gull-winged V8s used to revolve, now stand hydrogen and hybrid machines with dashboard components made from cork; the manufacturer's boast is that it is the only wood that can be harvested without killing the tree.
Faced with rising fuel prices, a growing consciousness of carbon tyreprints, and lower revenues (car sales fell by 6.1% last month compared with June 2007), does this motor show mark the end of our passion for the petrol engine?
"The new technology is exciting people as much as the supercars this time, and that's really good to see," said Nikki Rooke of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
Lotus's Eco Elise features solar power for its electrics, hemp body panels, seats upholstered in wool, sisal carpets, and water-based paint. The design of Citroen's C-Cactus uses 60% fewer parts for its interior. Cadillac's Provoq uses a hydrogen fuel cell. Mercedes are showcasing the electric Smart car.
Every manufacturer, regardless of its carbon emissions, is getting in on the act. In front of photos of trees, Land Rover is displaying a fleet of Range Rovers (turbo diesel, V8, 294g/CO2 per km; the car industry's modest target is a new-vehicle average below 140g per km by 2020). For its wealthy customers, it claims it is "working hard to protect the richness of the world we live in".
Even Hummer, its stand tucked away behind General Motors' lavish "fuel for thought" stand promoting hydrogen power, has a green offering: the Hummer HX. It features a 3.6 litre V6 "highly economical, lightweight aluminium engine," said Simon Prior, product manager for Hummer, Cadillac and Corvette, with a straight face.
He denied its parent, General Motors, is embarrassed by this symbol of gas-guzzling excess: "Hummer has been very successful for us. It's a very iconic brand. Taking that forward with more fuel-efficient engines and diesel engines in Europe is a very positive view."
Every large cloud of oil-based emission, it seems, has a green lining. During a presentation, the man from Morgan, the classic sports car manufacturer, claims a Cardiff University study found its vehicles to be a more environmentally correct purchase than a Prius, because they were so long-lasting, and its bespoke manufacturing used relatively little energy.
The green concept cars look impressive, but they are all years away from production. Cadillac's Provoq is still "15 to 20 years away", according to General Motors. Even Mercedes' electric Smart will not be in production until 2010 - and the familiar Smart car was designed for electric power anyway.
In the electric village, most of the vehicles are still cottage industries in comparison with the major marques. One company says it was "begged" by show organisers to set up an exhibit to help boost its green credentials.
Away from the electric village, the real motor show is still alive and revving. Every green offering is more than matched with an ungreen one. On one side of the show, Lotus shows off its Eco Elise; on the other, two women in revealing cocktail dresses present its new Evora sports car in the traditional motor show manner.
That's nothing compared with the red Corvette ZR1 6.2 V8, which does 205mph, or the Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT 4.2 V8, which will reach 167mph.
Everyone connected with the industry denies it has been slow to investigate climate-saving forms of power. Tom Morrison-Jones of Mercedes stressed that it takes millions of pounds and several years to develop new production lines. "It's not possible to bring in an electric car at the flick of a switch," he said.
Price war at the pumps
Supermarkets started a petrol price war yesterday. Asda announced a 3p cut on a litre of unleaded and diesel. Morrisons' followed with a 4p cut. Sainsbury's launched a two-week promotion offering 5p off for customers spending £50 or more in its stores, while Tesco said it was lowering prices by up to 4p. BP, which owns 223 petrol stations across the UK, said it would reduce prices by an average of 1p.