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Motorshow 2000 Show Report Wednesday 25th October
With the theme of the day at the British International Motor Show, NEC Birmingham, being the Environment attention focuses on such cars as the Toyota Prius, which won the Show's Environmental Award. The Prius was the first mass produced car using hybrid Technology ie. petrol and electrics. (Photo Martyn Hayhow) The winner of the Corus / IVehE (Institute of Vehicle Engineers) Motor
Show Environmental Award today (Wednesday) is carrying the flag of the
environmental theme day at the British International Motor Show, two
days after it gained a government-backed clean fuel grant. Toyota says
the public’s response to its Prius - the world’s first mass- produced
hybrid engine saloon car - since it was launched to the UK at the Birmingham
event last week has been "phenomenal". The four-door, five-seater car
is powered by the Toyota Hybrid System that combines a 1.5 litre WT-i
petrol engine and 33kW electric motor to deliver a more efficient driving
performance. David Nolan, Toyota’s stand manager, said: "In just one
week the Prius has really caught the public’s imagination. The response
has been phenomenal and there’s no doubt that demand will outstrip supply.
"The Prius offers a viable option to those who want a low emissions
car with all the benefits of a conventional petrol engine saloon car
capable of carrying five people. "We were delighted to win the environmental
award at this year’s show and that should mean we will be the environmental
flag bearer of the day." "It has also been confirmed that the first
200 buyers of the Prius will receive a GBP1,000 discount under the Powershift
scheme." The government-funded Powershift programme aims to create a
sustainable market in the UK for vehicles that run on clean fuels such
as LPG, natural gas and electricity. Powershift programme manager Jonathan
Murray said: "The amount of funding was agreed following rigorous independent
testing of the car’s emissions levels. "These tests showed that not
only does the Prius surpass Euro III standards by a clear margin, but
that the car already meets Euro IV, which is not in force until 2005.
"The Toyota Prius is one of the cleanest vehicles on the road in this
country. We believe the hybrid concept is one of the most exciting developments
in the clean fuel market to date." Vauxhall’s commitment to advanced fuel cars is matched by its commitment to helping keep the public informed of these developments at the International Motor Show in Birmingham, according to the company. David Sellors Vauxhall’s alternative fuel vehicle consultant, said: "Our decision to make alternative fuels a key part of our stand has been enthusiastically backed by the public. "As the leading manufacturer in this area with the widest range of dual fuel vehicles it is important to reflect this on the stand. "We have devoted a considerable area to our environmental commitments, from water-based paints and LPG engines of today and the fuel cells technology we are developing for use in the near future." The liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) Astra and Combo van are among the exhibits on the Vauxhall stand. "The Motor Show is the one opportunity most people have to come and see every car available and despite the fact that we have been producing LPG vehicles for three years, many people have only read about them or seen them on the television," Mr Sellors commented. The Vectra, Omega and the Astravan are also now available with LPG engines that can significantly reduce harmful emissions such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides. "Our working model on fuel cell technology has also been attracting huge interest and I think it offers people the clearest sense of what they can expect in the future. "The reaction to the new Eco 4 diesel engine has also been very positive and I think it is important that we have a dedicated team specifically to answer questions on alternative fuels. "A number of people have made the point, saying we have been the most enthusiastic company for alternative fuels, and it is nice when people bother to notice these things," Mr Sellors added. BMW aim for zero emission engine
BMW's answer to environmental fuel on show with the BMW 750hL which involves the company's move towards vehicles being powered by hydrogen, being displayed at the British International Motor Show, NEC Birmingham. Hydrogen can be produced from water by electrolysis using solar and hydroelectric power, but until there is a network of service stations the 750hL will also carry a conventional fuel tank. (Photo Martyn Hayhow) A pioneering hydrogen-fuelled engine is among the many ‘green’ cars on display at the British International Motor Show in Birmingham, which is today (Wednesday) celebrating environmentally friendly developments in motoring technology. And the BMW 750hL, which is making its UK debut at the show, has been attracting keen interest among visitors, many of them curious as to why the company has opted to use the combustion engine rather than develop fuel cell technology for the future use of hydrogen. The luxurious long wheel-base BMW 7 Series houses a conventional 5.4 litre internal combustion engine, but instead of being powered by petrol, the tank holds super-cooled hydrogen which can be generated from water using solar energy, ultimately leading to zero-emissions. "We are unique among the major manufacturers in banking on hydrogen powered internal combustion engines now for our cars in the future," explained BMW regional technical manager Lloyd Truman. "Many companies are promoting fuel cell engines which ultimately make the vehicle an electric car and fundamentally affect the drive performance." In fact, some of the BMW hydrogen saloons are the first series-produced cars to feature a fuel cell for supplying on- board electricity, according to BMW, but a 12-cylinder engine will drive the car. "At the moment both technologies face the lack of infrastructure to use hydrogen, but the 750hL’s engine can also be run as a petrol and hydrogen bi-fuel car," Mr Truman added. The first hydrogen filling station was opened at Munich Airport in Germany last year and a number of 750hL models were used as shuttles during Expo 2000 in Hanover. Mr Truman added: "The technology should achieve zero-emissions, while the internal combustion engine allows a conventional performance offering a spontaneous, dynamic and independent drive. This is crucial to maintaining our mission to offer the ultimate driving machine." Honda’s Insight Into Green Fuel
Honda's hybrid system of petrol and electric engines installed into their 'Insight Coupe' produced record figures of 103 mpg in the Guiness Round Britain event, giving it the World's lowest fuel consumption for a mass produced hybrid, on view at the British International Motor Show, NEC Birmingham. (Photo Martyn Hayhow) Honda's record- breaking hybrid Insight coupe has been attracting
both the fuel- conscious and the environmentally aware among visitors
to the International Motor Show in Birmingham. The two-seater low-emissions
sports car, powered by a petrol engine and an electric motor, went on
sale less than two months ago and the Motor Show model has been sporting
its Guinness round-Britain fuel economy record across the bonnet. Honda’s
Jason Ryder said: "Many people have been looking at it on the stand
presuming it to be a concept car, but of course it’s actually a car
for today rather than just one for the future. "As one person suggested
yesterday, the Insight is one of the most eye-catching production cars
at the Show." The Insight established a new British fuel economy record
of almost 103 miles per gallon during a 3,737-mile 'Round-Britain' non-stop
lap of the UK coastline in June this year. Explaining the technology
behind the Guinness record, Mr Ryder said: "The Insight uses a 1.0 litre
petrol engine and a 10 kilowatt electric motor. As you accelerate the
electric motor kicks in to assist the petrol engine and delivers the
performance of a 1.5-litre petrol engine. "Obviously the Insight has
been getting lots of attention with fuel economy in mind and as the
technology develops further the system will be transferred over into
larger cars like the Accord and Civic." If you wish to contact us either : PHONE 0121 444
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