T.27 electric car

The Gordon Murray Design T.27 electric car completed the RAC Future Car Challenge last Saturday, driving the 57.13 miles from Brighton to London. The T.27 was up against stiff competition from more than 65 entrants from other car manufacturers, using all the latest fuel-efficient and low CO2 technology.

The T.27 carried two occupants along the route and achieved a remarkable 350mpg (0.81 litres/100km) using less than 64 pence worth of energy, with CO2 emissions of just 37g/km. When fully charged (takes around 4 hours) the T.27 has a range of 100 miles.

The T.27 has already been named as “The World’s Most Efficient Electric Car” and the car was entered into the RAC Future Car Challenge to see how it would perform in “real-world” traffic conditions. The T.27 has been built in conjunction with the Technology Strategy Board, Zytek Automotive Limited and iStream.

Electric car concept

Vauxhall/Opel is set to unveil a radical electric car concept at the 2011 Frankfurt International Motor Show this month and is targeting younger/teenage drivers with a low-cost budget. The car “has production potential” and Vauxhall thinks the concept could revolutionise urban transport, with inspiration coming from the Vauxhall Ampera. 

The battery-powered electric vehicle has a low, rakish style and should have a range of around 60 miles with a top speed of 75mph. Inside it has two seats in a tandem layout and because it is so light at around one third of a small modern car, it should be great fun to drive.

Audi urban concept

Audi has released the details about their innovative urban concept car which has 1+1 seats, an ultra light sleek cockpit made from CFRP (carbon fibre-reinforced polymer), free standing wheels with protective plates and a compact electric drive system for sporty performance.

Inside the Audi urban concept

This new urban concept is a fun car with elements of a racing car, a roadster and an urban car all packaged into one new concept. The wheels are free-standing and the protective plates have “blinking” strips of LED lights. The Audi urban concept car has room for two people on board, with a slightly staggered position, all seated at a low level to further enhance the sportiness of the car.

Entry to the Audi urban concept car is through the tailgate and the roof can be moved around and slides to the rear to open. It has 21-inch wheels and two e-tron electric motors provide the propulsion for swift acceleration. If you like the thought of driving an Audi but can’t wait until this urban concept is put into production, then of course we have the full range of Audi cars now on Audi contract hire.

Citroen C-ZERO

Citroen has announced that it has appointed eleven specialist dealers from its current network for sales and servicing of their new Citroen C-ZERO electric car. The Citroen dealers have been appointed to provide a comprehensive UK coverage and are typically located in larger cities.

The Citroen C-ZERO is stylish, practical and comfortable and with its 93 mile range should be ideal for the majority day to day usage. The list of Citroen specialist dealers is below.

Nissan LEAFs

The Portugese electricity consortium, MOBI.E, has just take delivery of nine Nissan LEAF electric cars, becoming the first commercial customer in Europe of the world’s first mass-market 100% electric vehicle. The keys were handed over to all the CEO’s that make up the consortium by Carlos Tavares, Executive Vice-president of Nissan Motor Co Ltd.

The  Nissan LEAF, which was recently awarded the title of European Car of the Year 2011, is powered by a compact electric motor, which drives the font wheels and has a power output of 109hp. The car has a range of 175 km (108 miles) and has a maximum speed of 145 km/h (90mph) making it a practical option for many drivers. Deliveries to customers have already started in the Japan and the United States and the car is expected in the UK in the first quarter of 2011.

Volkswagen Taxi Concept

Volkswagen has unveiled a new Volkswagen Taxi Concept in Central London and this new vehicle is the latest evolution in a series of “World Taxis”, based on the underpinning of the forthcoming UP! car. The new Volkswagen Taxi Concept is powered by an electric motor fed by lithium-ion batteries and has a power output of 75PS, plus offers a top speed of around 74mph.

Volkswagen Taxi Concept

The range of this Taxi Concept is estimated at 186 miles between charges, with an 80 per cent charge taking around one hour to complete. It is slightly shorter than the Volkswagen Fox, at 3,730mm in length however it does have a long wheelbase enabling it to have  spacious cabin with room for two adults to be seated in comfort, plus room for luggage as well.

The theme is based on simplicity and all the major functions of the vehicle, including fare, climate and entertainment, are all grouped into one touchscreen display mounted next to the driver. An elegant distinctive “Taxi” light sits on the roof and glows green when free and red when it’s not.

Elegant daytime running lights plus cream leather complete the luxurious look and this new concept gives an insight into the possible future of an efficient taxi, that offers an alternative to conventional fuels.

Mitsubishi i-MiEV

Mitsubishi has recently completed their West Midlands based trial with Coventry And Birmingham Low Emission vehicle Demonstrators (CABLED). Twenty-five Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric cars were delivered in December 2009 and have been used by the CABLED consortium over the last year, in a variety of real-life driving conditions.

The full results of the 12-month trial will be published later this month however the headlines revealed by the research include the following;

• There has been in increase in driver confidence.
• The first data is available on the cost of refuelling.
• New information is also available on charging trends.

The i-MiEV is the first mass produced Pure EV in the UK and proved its reliability and usefulness during the recent official trials. The average daily mileage recorded was just 23 miles which is well within the i-MiEVs 93 mile range and the drivers in the trial also used the entire speed range of the car, which has a top speed of 81mph.

Quentin Wilson, the automotive expert, was also included in the trial and he commented,”The Mitsubishi i-MiEV is a forerunner of a transport revolution that will eventually change the world. At last here’s an electric car that doesn’t look like a church pew, seats four, does 80 mph and costs less than a quid to charge. What is there not to love?”

Katie Melua

Vauxhall has announced that is partnering with singer songwriter, Katie Melua, and Vauxhall/Opel will now become the headline sponsor for the singer’s European concert tour in the spring of 2011.

Peter Hope, Vauxhall’s Marketing Director, comments: “We are thrilled to be working with Katie. Vauxhall is all about being British, forward thinking and energetic, and we think Katie embodies these values perfectly. In addition, we are passionate about consistent environmental awareness and social responsibility; as a subject very close to Katie’s heart, it only makes the partnership more fitting”.

Katie commented,”I like the way Vauxhall addresses topics like environmental efficiency and sustainability and I feel very comfortable with the partnership; it’s a great fit”. Vauxhall is of course pioneering ahead with their new Ampera electric vehicle, which is due for release in 2012. This electric car offers a range of 50 miles on pure electric battery power plus an extended range feature as well.

The partnership launch can be viewed @ http://www.opel.tv/webcast/

Kia POP

Kia has unveiled the Kia POP at the Paris Motor Show which is a three-seater, three-metre long electric car. The car has a striking overall look with its chrome features and purple colour scheme and the inside is like a capsule with its clean feel.

Audio, sat-nav, climate control and so on is controlled via a touch-screen while everything else operates from one button. The car emits zero emissions and has has a 50kW motor offering a single-charge range of 160k which is fully rechargeable in just six hours.

Kia POP

Peter Schreyer, Kia Motors Chief Design Officer said, “The POP doesn’t point at the style of the next generation of cars, but looks even further into the future. There are a lot of new things, for example the side-window graphic is like a signature, unique with its own character.

Jaguar C-X75 Concept

A stunning range-extended electric supercar has been unveiled at the 2010 Paris Motor Show by Jaguar. The Jaguar C-X75 Concept is a four-wheel-drive, all-electric supercar that races from 0-62mph in just 3.4 seconds and onto a remarkable top speed of 205mph.

The car has four powerful electric motors, one for each wheel, producing 780bhp and a total torque output of 1600Nm (1180lb ft). It also has two micro gas-turbines (spinning at 80,000rpm) that can generate enough electricity to extend the range to 560 miles and produce just 28g/km of CO2 from the car’s plug-in capability. Without the range extender the cars has zero emissions and a range of 68 miles if running solely on battery power.