The dashboard has a digital Tree which grows and flourishes when you are driving in eco-mode, and withers and dies when your’re not – what a brilliant way to remind drivers not only of their personal impact, but of the impact on the world

But! The price tag isn’t cheap – at R299 900.00 you have pretty much left the Hippie market behind, which would be the people most interested in buying it. But they have made it attractive to the rest of the market by it’s styling and specifications, which I suppose is a good thing if people buy it purely for looks and the Earth gets the added benefit of another eco (ish) car on the road

Book a test drive and find out
for yourself

Honda’s description:

” Believing the hybrid concept should not begin and end with environmental responsibility, Honda became the first company in the world to produce a compact hybrid sports car for the new era of automobiles – one that builds upon and adds to Honda’s tradition of “creating the never before.” The Honda CR-Z is a unique new car, combining the advantages of a clean, efficient petrol electric hybrid powertrain with a 6-speed manual transmission and a stylish coupe body” visit site

Features:

* All-new, sporty, aerodynamic, 2+2 coupe form
* Wide track, short wheelbase chassis for agile and responsive handling
* Unique 3-Mode Drive System to tailor steering, throttle response and IMA assistance to the driver’s needs
* 1.5-litre i-VTEC engine coupled to the Honda IMA parallel hybrid system with CO2 emissions of 117 g/km and 5.0 l/100km fuel economy in combined mode.

BMW Sequence GT
A cool energy efficient concept car by BMW, having “Vision EfficientDynamics” mechanism

BMW Vision Efficient Dynamic Turbodiesel Plug-in Hybrid
Takes 4.8 seconds to reach 0-100 km/h (62mph)
Average fuel consumption is 3.76 liters/100 kilometers
Fuel-efficient 3-cylinder turbo diesel plug-in full-hybrid with one electric motor on each axle

BMW Hydrogen 7
It offers 75% more energy efficiency
Equipped with a 260 hp (191 kW) 12-cylinder engine
0-62 mph in 9.5 seconds. With its top speed limited electronically to 143 mph (230 kph)

BMW Active Hybrid X6
Twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 engine
It take just 5.4 seconds to reach O to 60 km /h
Top speed will be limited to 130 miles per hour

BMW Mini E
Near zero Carbon footprint
Ultra cheap operating cost

BMW All-Electric One-seater Bike
This very appealing bike design is touted to be eco-friendly and boasts of high-end technologies as well. The bike is a one-seater and it possesses an all-way rear axis to which a sphere-shaped rear wheel is attached. The front wheel on the other hand is the more conspicuous one which is assisted by gyro (which provides stability) and it also comes with a space efficient baggage located under the holo-screen panel

With thanks to Environment Team

]]> http://www.iamchangingtheworld.org.za/bmw-green-cars/feed/ 0 http://www.iamchangingtheworld.org.za/all-electric-cars/ http://www.iamchangingtheworld.org.za/all-electric-cars/#comments Thu, 29 Apr 2010 08:30:48 +0000 Tumi http://www.iamchangingtheworld.org.za/?p=2684 Energy demand for fossil fuels is growing by about  2% annually, leading to the realisation that increasing fuel efficiency and the production of hybrid vehicles is only a short-term solution, if a significant saving is to be made in vehicle emissions

Manufacturers believe that a maximum of a further 25% increase in fuel efficiency is possible with petrol and diesel engines. Current emphasis is now on converting existing hybrid models such as the Prius to plug-in charge in an effort to extend their range.

All-electric vehicles, such as the Chevrolet Volt are the subject of major current development, and some models are due to be on showroom floors by 2010.

An important added advantage of the all-electric vehicle is that it has far fewer moving parts than conventional and hybrid systems. An all-electric car can use electricity from the grid, from an on-board generator or from a fuel cell. Current lithium batteries would give a range of about 65km.

When the generator kicks in, the range is extended up to 450km, with an average cost of about R2,40 per litre. The same basic can be used with a fuel cell and smaller lithium battery to give a range of 480km of emission-free motoring. The fuel cell replaces the generator and the fuel tank gives way to a hydrogen tank.

The key to getting the all-electric cars on the showroom floor by 2010 is the lithium batteries, currently under active development but still very expensive. The battery electric cars with 65km range are likely to be popular in town, with fuel cell and extended range vehicles for longer distances

What is currently available in South Africa?

The Joule: Africa’s first all-electric car

The zero-emission Joule is a six-seater multi-purpose vehicle designed by Cape Town-based Optimal Energy in association with legendary South African-born automotive designer Keith Helfet.

The Joule’s chassis has been designed to accommodate two large-cell lithium ion battery packs, which employ chemistry similar to that used in mobile phones and laptop computers. The cells are inherently safe, as they do not contain any heavy metals read more

Toyota Prius: Hybrid

Toyota is a leader in hybrid technology primarily because at a time when no one else was thinking about it, Toyota made a substantial investment in people, research, engineering and equipment – and completed a project that most thought was impossible. This commitment to developing the ultimate eco-car – still Toyota’s number one goal – resulted in the birth of the Prius, a purpose-built hybrid vehicle designed to maximise fuel efficiency and improve air quality read more

Most tourism in natural areas today is not ecotourism and is not therefore, sustainable. Ecotourism can be distinguished from nature tourism by its emphasis on conservation, education, traveler responsibility and active community participation

Specifically, ecotourism possesses the following characteristics:

• Conscientious, low-impact visitor behavior
• Sensitivity towards, and appreciation of, local cultures and biodiversity
• Support for local conservation efforts
• Sustainable benefits to local communities
• Local participation in decision-making
• Educational components for both the traveler and local communities

It is becoming evident that increased tourism to sensitive natural areas in the absence of appropriate planning and management can become a threat to the integrity of both ecosystems and local cultures. Increasing numbers of visitors to ecologically sensitive areas can lead to significant environmental degradation. Likewise, local communities and indigenous cultures can be harmed in numerous ways by an influx of foreign visitors and wealth. Additionally, fluctuations in climate, currency exchange rates, and political and social conditions can make over-dependence upon tourism a risky business.

However, this same growth creates significant opportunities for both conservation and local community benefit. Ecotourism can provide much needed revenues for the protection of national parks and other natural areas, revenues that might not be available from other sources. Additionally, ecotourism can provide a viable economic development alternative for local communities with few other income-generating options. Moreover, ecotourism can increase the level of education and activism among travelers, making them more enthusiastic and effective agents of conservation.

LINKS

Tribes Travel
A Closer Look Travel
Explore Worldwide
EcoAfrica Travel
i-to-i Meaningful Travel
The Earth Organization – Eco Safari in South Africa

With thanks to The Nature  Conservancy