Call to rethink CO2 Congestion Charge

GoinGreen, the company that supplies the battery electric G-Wiz, has called for a rethink of plans to give a 100% Congestion Charge discount to all band B vehicles from next year. At the moment, only band A vehicles (cars with CO2 emissions <100 g/km) are exempt from the Charge. If the plans go ahead, cars with emissions of 101-120 g/km would also receive the full discount from February 2008.

Keith Johnston, managing director of GoinGreen, says, �CO2 emissions are a global concern and London must play its part in reducing CO2 emissions. But the real issue for London is air quality (London has the worst air quality in the UK), the major cause of which is vehicle pollution. However, it is not CO2 that is causing most of this, but NOx (oxides of nitrogen) and other particulates that band B exemption would not address. Electric vehicles, in contrast, do not emit any tailpipe emissions, ever!�

GoinGreen argues that it would be inappropriate to exempt band B vehicles on the grounds that the real issue for London, air quality, would not be addressed by such a move; and secondly because it would not differentiate between lower carbon petrol and diesel vehicles and the zero-emission electric G-Wiz. The move could result in more congestion and therefore, more pollution.

The majority of drivers of battery electric vehicles, GoinGreen claim, are environmentally-aware and recharge using electricity from renewable sources. As a result, total motoring emissions are virtually zero for this category of motorist and they are rightly exempted from the London Congestion Charge. Even when electricity generated at a power station is taken into account independent research has demonstrated that EVs are at least 40% cleaner than the cleanest hybrid or diesel cars in Band B.

�Band B exemption would also discourage further investment in electric vehicles, when the market is at an early and vulnerable stage, by sending out confusing and inappropriate signals to Londoners and others parties�, says Keith Johnston, �the world is watching what happens in London. It would be a great shame if having helped to make London the emission-free car capital of the world, any policy change to further promote low-carbon motoring inadvertently resulted in its demise. With exciting new technologies and products due to be launched in 2008 [including plug-in hybrids], the electric car is the ideal solution to pollution and congestion in London�.


via goingreen

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Tokyo Motor Show: Mugen Jazz

The Mugen, historical tuner inside of Honda, this time no time: a few days after the press release of the Honda Jazz / Fit, here is the presentation of its most seasoned, developed in conjunction with the development of model departure.

Mugen proposes two different bodykit for the Jazz: The most aggressive and visible RS Aero and less exaggerated L / G Aero. Ambedue prevedono una taratura ben pi� rigida degli ammortizzatori anteriori e posteriori, minigonne laterali, scarichi cromati ed un vistoso spoiler posteriore. Both provide a much more rigid calibration of front and rear shock absorbers, miniskirts side, and a chrome exhaust visible rear spoiler. Per la gioia degli appassionati del tuning estetico � prevista una vastissima gamma di ulteriori personalizzazioni disponibili su richiesta tra cui cerchi in lega dal disegno specifico e pedaliera in alluminio, ma non � tutto qui: per chi non fosse soddisfatto delle prestazioni c�� infatti un programma che permette di creare, praticamente su misura, una quasi-auto da competizione: chi � cresciuto passando ore davanti a Gran Turismo sulle varie generazioni di PlayStation, sicuramente gradir� la possibilit� di sostituire scarichi, filtri aria, gruppi sospensione e altre chicche simili volte al miglioramento delle prestazioni. To the delight of fans tuning of the aesthetic is a wide range of additional customizations available on request including alloy wheels from drawings and aluminum pedal, but that's not all here: for those who were not satisfied with the performance because there is a program that allows you to create virtually tailor, a quasi-auto competition: who grew passing hours in front of Gran Turismo on several generations of PlayStation, certainly like the opportunity to replace discharges, air filters, suspension and other groups such gems sometimes to improve performance.

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Fiat and PSA announce sub-120gCO2/km vans

A quiet green revolution is about to happen in the world of small panel vans. Fiat and PSA Peugeot-Citroen have announced the phase-in of three new commercial vehicles, each with a model with CO2 emissions of 119 g/km.
Marketed as the Fiat Fiorino, the Citroen Nemo and the Peugeot Bipper the new vehicles will be gradually introduced as from the end of 2007. These will replace the current Peugeot Partner and Citroen Berlingo, and will provide Fiat with a new model sized in-between the Grande Punto van and the Doblo Cargo.

The vans will come with petrol and diesel engine options, with the diesel versions having the best fuel economy (64 mpg), fuel cost (around 7p/mile) and emissions (119 gCO2/km). This will place the vans in vehicle tax band B (�35/year). Current CO2 emissions from comparable vans are around 140 g/km (eg the 2007 Peugeot Partner Combi 1.6 HDi).

The tax banding may give some clue as to why now should be the time for Fiat and PSA to launch these vehicles in the UK. As well as increasing pressure from consumers to reduce fuel costs and from companies to reduce emissions, there is also the not-so-small incentive that band B vehicles may receive the full 100% discount on the London Congestion Charge as from February next year (see our news item published in August).

The new light commercial vans have been developed by the on-going partnership between Fiat, PSA Peugeot Citro�n and Tofas (equally owned by Fiat and Ko�). The vans are manufactured by Tofas at its plant in Bursa, Turkey, which has an installed capacity of 158,000 vehicles a year.

With these new models, Fiat and PSA Peugeot Citro�n are extending their long-standing cooperation. The launch comes just a few months after the partners revitalised their jointly developed line-ups of large vans (Fiat Ducato, Citroen Jumper/ Relay, Peugeot Boxer) and compact vans (Fiat Scudo, Citroen Jumpy/Dispatch, Peugeot Expert).

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Rendering of next McLaren

Lack of information does not prevent imagination to go wild. Indeed. I know the authors of this valuable rendering, which aims to imagine the future of sports McLaren home. The only fact should be (conditional is necessary) the presence of a V8 engine; Everything else sailed around a question: do not know what category you put this bolide, one does not know the layout of seats (again the original 1 +2?) not even know its potential.

At the effort are some stylistic influences (the front is very Ferrari, while sideblade make it very similar to the R8) that differ from the previously shown by Car. Who is more closer to the design of the series, but most importantly, this will raise the baton of F1?

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Ford GT by GeigerCars

When 550 horses of the Ford GT, the less docile panorama of the automobile are also targeted by a tuner that most unique rare bay to a greater degree than the substance apparently, the result deserves only comment : impressive.



GeigerCar decided to focus mainly on volumetric compressor (changing the exhaust system and electronics of the engine, the V8 5.4), making it even more angry character of the Ford GT: its capacity rose from 2.3 liters of the standard 3.3, with increased pressure by 0.8 bar up to 1.25.

That increase translates into 151 horses (a total of 701) with equal torque of 837 Nm: obviously impressive performance since it is sufficient 3.5 seconds to touch 100 per hour with a maximum speed of 340 km/h.

Geiger not forget, however, the dynamic aspect, with suspensions lowering car body of 6 cm and large alloy wheels of 20 and 21 inches to front to rear, which fit respectively tires 245/35 and 325/30 R20 R21 .

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Open orders of futuristic Aptera

As we spoke in January 2006, calling for revolutionary figures stated 140 km / h: Aptera of American Aptera Composites is now becoming reality, it will be a 2 places (plus a fortune) with 3 wheels lines really future, for a price of between 19 and 21,000 Euro in the USA, with full electric propulsion or plug hybrid technology. The electric version will be completely independent of approximately 200km, while the hybrid touch the incredible value of 140 km / l.
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There are already a website and a space shots. Thanks to weight in 420 kg performance will be acceptable, while the air conditioning will use solar panels and work even vehicle off. The visibility will be at 360 � thanks to camera placed on the back of the car still running. According to the manufacturer, in many states (at least in America) the type of vehicle could be treated as a motorcycle because of the weight and motorization. Below, as well as some images, will find even videos of Aptera, which will begin deliveries in late 2008.

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Lexus LF-Xh concept: the complete gallery

From the first photo spread was not possible to understand a lot, but now that this gallery shows us from every point of view, we can analyze the style of Lexus LF-Xh concept, anticipating a rather concrete in the near future, the Japanese SUV. What we will most likely be the next generation of current RX and among other things the concept mount the hybrid propulsion V6 engine with the current RX400h.
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Elegant and sports sections, with a line of belt high and some muscular suggest that the recent prototype BMW X6 and the concept sports LF-A, Lexus makes her think minimalism, with touches like the rear lighting highly processed, the "look" fist to front and side mirrors tiny reduced to small webcam carinated. The cockpit is a bit revolutionary, because it abandons the style "Star Trek" of the current Lexus for a clean console and turned into a large multipurpose tool, with very few commands on demand.

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The Jeep Commander will be replaced by a Grand Cherokee step along?

The retirement of the Jeep Commander is scheduled for 2010, at least to hear the voices that come about in the undergrowth of the Chrysler brand and giving categorical for the abandonment of the project. Born in 2005, the great car to seven seats not met immediately by the public, the results relegandone sales in a limbo where they are no longer able to emerge (only 88,000 copies sold in 2006 and only thanks to powerful discounts). It is therefore despite its entry into procellose vicissitudes of divorce by Daimler Mercedes who forced a reorganization of the whole brand.

There is finally who suspected that the Commander has had an effect of cannibalization to the Grand Cherokee, stealing potential customers rather than attract new ones.

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But even if the Commander will be removed from the market, Chrysler will not abandon the concept of the 7 seats and indeed try to give new life to this category of vehicles with a long step with the mythical Grand Cherokee developed on the basis of a platform shared with Mercedes - Benz. Although the scenario appears very plausible, because of the chaotic situation of Chrysler, still committed to overcoming the difficult time of internal reorganization and activities, there is still a degree of uncertainty.

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Lexus IS-F: the situated official and the Nieman version Marcus

Lexus has launch a situated one dedicated to the IS-F, unknown sport incarnation of sedan IS, been born in order to defy the German giants in one of prefereriti lands of hunting: the sedans sport. Hour that also BMW has been converted to the motor 8 cylinders, with the M3 new, the challenge it makes completes: Bmw M3, Audi RS4, Mercedes C63 AMG and, exactly, the new Lexus IS-F, able of 400Cv. The situated one collects images, video and above all a configuratore. The car will come exposed also to the SEMA of Las Vegas, world-wide hall of the tuning international, in program from 30 October.
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