Changing lifestyle and economic pessures supports green technology

Green is the latest buzzword in automobile industry and Volvo is ready to follow the same. Volvo is working on unveiling C30 Sportscoupe, S40 saloon and V50 Sportswagon are the latest brands, a trio of low-emission cars (under 120 g/Km of carbon dioxide) will be available for sale in November this year. According to company representative, reduced emission have been achieved by improving upon car dynamics, fitting low resistance tyres, increasing gear ratio, optimizing engine cooling and using low-friction oils.

On the consumers side economic pressures are forcing motorists to explore green alternatives. According to a recent report by British Car Auctions (BCA), 6% of respondents evaluated their recent car purchase on the parameter of environmental considerations although wealthier sector of the population appear to be prepared to make the most changes in favour of environment. Findings responses were based on responses of more than 3000 UK motorists’. According to Tim Naylor, spokesman for BCA "UK drivers are changing their motoring habits to cope with the tougher economic conditions and almost as an aside, many of these changes will also benefit the environment."

Economic pressures and rising cost of living is encouraging people to travel by bus and train and use public transport rather than fuel their cars. According to Go-Ahead, the rail and bus operator. past 12 months had seen bus passenger number rise by 2.9%, with a rise of 4.9% in the last quarter and passenger numbers on its Southern and Southeastern rail franchises rose by 6.7% and 6.4% respectively over the same period.

In the meanwhile technocrats are also working in their own way to help motorists, a new system that can turn a vehicle into a hydrogen hybrid which dramatically boosts a vehicle's gas mileage. The cars are modified with a unique fuel cell system -- a computer that communicates with the car's computer -- to harness the power of hydrogen. By using electricity from the battery, the fuel cell separates water into oxygen and hydrogen and blends the hydrogen with the fuel. This adds power to the fuel so each gallon of gas does more work and lasts longer. On a 3000-mile cross-country test drive, a car equipped with the hydrogen hybrid system averaged 55 miles to the gallon.

After two years of research and development, Pro Motors Group has partnered with 4 Wheel Parts to offer nationwide installation of the hydrogen hybrid system. Till date, about 250 to 300 cars have been converted and are benefited by the technology.