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Alternative Ways That Have Been Around For YEARS

LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas), CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) Conversions have been around for a number of years. They allow the use of a cheaper and cleaner fuel compared to petrol. Few manufacturers, such as GM/Vauxhall, have just recently begun to offer this option on a number of their newer models. The LPG-converted Smart – a fairly green car to begin with, even in its conventional fuel form – is one of the leaders in this particular class and certainly a vehicle to consider.

Compressed Natural Gas is even cleaner than Liquefied Petroleum Gas but with fewer than 50 refilling stations around the country, it is unlikely to be a serious contender at the moment.

Electric cars have also been available for some time, though the current versions are considerably more refined than some of their predecessors. Their short range still dictates that they are restricted urban areas, but with zero direct emissions at street level, they make a significant contribution in the effort to reduce pollution in towns and cities all over the world. Since they also rely on electricity regularly demands them to be plugged into the grid to recharge, hence they cannot be deemed as entirely “green”. Never-the-less, the electric G-Wiz – described as the “greenest car available” – with its 40mph top speed and a range of 40 miles, is worth a good look if it meets your transport needs.

Hybrid Cars

Since the selection of hybrids currently in the United Kingdom is slim, they still the most practical option available

Most often hybrids are 20 per/cent higher than similar conventional vehicles, but they do benefit from low road tax and significantly lower CO2 emissions. If the hybrid idea appeals to you, Honda Civic IMA and the Toyota Prius are certainly note-worthy.

Conventional Methods

Things have moved on a long way in the design of conventional vehicles. With mpg and CO2 figures documented at an all time low for all new models, it is very easy to compare any number of different cars and find the greenest of them all. Diesels are probably a good choice in general, especially since bio-diesel seems likely to be more widely available in the future. Many of the current generation of small diesel-engine cars offer impressive fuel economy and low emissions, such as the Citroen C2 1.4 Diesel, which returns 68.9mpg under optimum conditions and releases only 107g of C02 per km when using conventional diesel.

As Always, Keep it Green