Is it possible to be environmentally friendly and cost effective?
Moneysupermarket.com has recently published an article claiming that eco-friendly car insurance firms are far more expensive than others, with their researching showing that getting car insurance for a Toyota Prius can cost up to 146% more than insuring yourself on the same terms through a conventional car insurance company.
Why the extra cost?
There have been a number of reasons put forward for the additional cost, but the most obvious explanation is the additional extras to your policy, with the following eco-insurers making the following promises to their customers:
• Co-operative car insurance- vow to offset 20% of the C02 emission you make if you take up a policy with them
• Gogreencompare.com- will offset 1.5 tons of C02 emissions with every single policy made
• ibuyeco- donate £5 from every policy to an environmental charity
With car manufacturers, the reason for the additional cost of an environmentally friendly model is the obvious savings in terms of fuel usage and the access to high end technology. However, the difference between the Ford Fiesta model and the less practical Mitsubishi i-Miev (electric model) is a staggering $9,000. This begs the question of whether you can be environmentally friendly at the same time as being cost effective.
Can I be green and cost effective?
The simple answer to this is yes. The before mentioned fuel cost savings is the most obvious reason for this, with the i-Miev electric model capable of doing a 90 mile journey on a charge costing approximately $1.48. That’s a total cost of $222.61 if you were doing 12,000 miles a year in an i-Miev, while the same mileage in a 1.25 Ford Fiesta would cost you $1,935.60. That’s a total saving of $1712.99 per year on an annual mileage of 12,000. Suddenly that $9,000 price difference doesn’t look quite so big.
That isn’t the only place you can save money though, with a number of programmes introduced by government to reduce costs for green motorists, such as tax breaks. Also, despite the additional cost of going with an eco-insurer, most conventional insurance companies will actually offer a discount to green motorists according to further research by Moneysupermarket.
What are my options?
There are an increasing number of environmental cars entering the marketplace as manufacturers realise the importance of going green.
In the electric car market alongside the Mitsubishi i-Miev, a number of other options are going to be becoming available in the near future including:
• Nissan Leaf
• Peugeot ion
• Citroen C1 evie
• Fiat Micro-vett 500
• Chevrolet Equinox AMP
However, electric cars aren’t the only option with the number of hybrid vehicles becoming available constantly expanding and becoming more affordable. BMW and Honda meanwhile are investing increasing resources into hydrogen fuelled cars which they believe are the most realistic option for future propulsion.
Therefore, the advantages of environmentally friendly car ownership are actually becoming more compelling all the time as fuel prices continue to rise and tax breaks for environmental motorists become more apparent. It is therefore possible to be cost effective and green and why more people haven’t realised this yet is a mystery.
Strong Consumer Interest in Purchase of Green Cars
Environmental responsibility versus economic stability. In the case of new car purchases, Autobytel’s most recent What’s Hot Now report released today reveals that consumers are concerned with both and believe they can find it in the purchase of a green car. In the wake of the Gulf Oil spill and concerns about the environment and the economy, consumers are interested in vehicles that can contribute to a greener earth as well as lessen the impact on their pocketbook.
57% of those surveyed revealed an interest in purchasing an alternative fuel vehicle in the next 12-months. Although economics was a leading factor in the purchase of an alternative fuel vehicle with over 50% reporting ‘Economics, better gas mileage’ as the reason for purchasing a green car, being ‘environmentally responsible’ and ‘reducing dependence on foreign oil’ combined was the reason cited by 39% of the respondents.
The report reveals strong green vehicle purchasing trends – and more susceptibility to environmental concerns – in the next generation of car buyers: one out of four under 25 years of age report they are definitely considering purchasing an alternative fuel or high MPG vehicle in the next twelve months – and over half said that environmental factors impacted their likelihood to buy a green vehicle.
“Consumers are interested in being fiscally and environmentally responsible when considering their next vehicle purchase,” said Jeff Coats , president and CEO, Autobytel. “Our latest What’s Hot Now report reveals good news for the makers of alternative energy and high mpg vehicles.”
Autobytel’s What’s Hot Now in Green snapshot survey was conducted on Autobytel’s network of consumer automotive sites, including autobytel.com, in July 2010. Over 2,000 consumers responded to the survey. Key results of the study reveal (see charts and highlights below):
• Green Potential High in Next 12 Months
• Stronger Still in 2-5 Years
• Economy Impacts Buying Choices
• Gas pump prices affect likelihood to purchase an alternative fuel vehicle.
• Under 25s: Generation Green
• Hybrid still Tops
More more information on this subject please go to: www.autobytel.com
Why Drive a 2010 Acura RDX?
Those who want a luxury sport utility vehicle (SUV) will definitely want to consider the 2010 Acura RDX. This great car is currently available at an affordable average price of approximately $32,000 to $37,000. That’s a real steal, especially when you consider that this car received a high 8.7 government rating on overall performance. It’s fairly difficult to find such a low priced car that is of such high quality and standards.
It’s not just the government that’s raving about this car either. Car and Driver Magazine praised the technology, cost, and power of the all wheel drive model, as did the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Edmunds.com, one of the most reputable automobile reviewers in the world, went so far as to compare the RDX to a sports sedan, calling it “quick” and “nimble.” For those drivers who love the reliability of an SUV but hate the bulkiness of driving one, this is quite obviously the perfect choice. If you want to drive a responsible car that still allows for a little bit of fun, the 2010 Acura RDX is for you.
Of course, the agility of this car does not mean that it lacks in safety. In fact, the 2010 Acura RDX scored an impressive 9.9, an almost perfect score, in safety ratings. The car comes standard with anti lock brakes, Electronic Brake Distribution, Brake Assist, Vehicle Stability Assist, frontal airbags, front side airbags, side curtain airbags, front outboard seat curtain airbags, rear outboard seat curtain airbags, the coveted rearview camera, and high intensity discharge headlights. Perhaps it was all of these awesome features that caused it to receive five stars (the highest possible rating) in the government’s frontal crash tests and side crash tests. This high rating also helps if you are looking for a good deal on a car insurance quote comparison. It even got a four star rating on rollover tests, which is quite high for an SUV. The insurance industry also gave it a score of “good” in frontal offset crash tests, side impact crash tests, and rear crash tests, which often equals lower insurance rates for drivers.
You’ll also be hard pressed to find a car with better gas mileage or with better overall ratings. Scores were high in most testing areas. The car received an 7.6 or “good” in interior design and a 7.0 or “good” in reliability. These are very high for SUVs, which tend to score low in both design and reliability areas. There has never been a better time to purchase such an affordable dependable car than now.
Electric Vehicle Roundtable and Drive-a-thon
The Sustainable Business Council of Los Angeles (SBCLA), a non-profit organization which provides a professional networking and education forum for Southern California businesses and individuals working with sustainable products, services, and processes, will host “Electric Vehicle Roundtable and Drive-a-thon.” The panel features six key players in this fast-emerging and competitive industry who will help guide the audience through a topic that is especially integral to the fabric and future of Los Angeles. The event will take place on Thursday, September 30, 2010, from 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. at Valcucine’s showroom in Beverly Hills. The distinctive presentation reinforces SBCLA’s commitment to showcasing environmentally-conscious businesses, and spotlighting cutting-edge sustainability trends and best practices across a broad range of industry sectors.
Moderated by Plug In America’s (http://www.pluginamerica.org) VP, Paul Scott, who is also President of the Electric Vehicle Association of Southern California, “Electric Vehicle Roundtable and Drive-a-thon” presents:
** Paul Wilbur, President and CEO, Aptera (http://www.aptera.com)
** K. Forest Beanum, VP of Public Affairs & Communications, CODA Automotive (http://www.codaautomotive.com)
** Richard Steinberg, Manager, Electric Vehicle Operations and Strategy, BMW of North America, LLC (http://www.bmwusa.com/ActiveE)
** Eric Shieh, Account Executive, Coulomb Technologies (http://www.coulombtech.com)
** Mike Sullivan, Owner and President, LAcarGUY (http://www.lacarguy.com/green)
Mitsubishi i-MiEV European rollout
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) will introduce the European-spec version of its i-MiEV 100% electric vehicle at the 2010 Paris Motor Show (“Mondial de L’ Automobile 2010″) to be held at Paris Expo – Porte de Versailles in Paris, France from Thursday, September 30th to Sunday, October 17th (open to the general public from Saturday, October 2nd).
A total of 12 vehicles (7 on press days) will be displayed at its stand in Hall 3, including:
* The recently introduced ASX (RVR in Japan) compact crossover equipped with MMC’s all-new “low impact” 4N13 diesel engine,
* The Lancer Sportback (Galant Fortis Sportback in Japan) now featuring the same 150 ps 1.8 DiD engine,
* The new Outlander 2.2 DiD mid-size crossover, whose 177 ps unit is a further derivative (4N14) of this same family of innovative diesel powerplants.
Concerning the European-spec i-MiEV, MMC plans to successively roll it out from December of this year in 14 countries*1 including France, the United Kingdom, Germany and further expand the European rollout from fiscal year 2011.
The price*2 of the European-spec i-MiEV will differ by country but will be set to around €33,000 – €35,000 (or equivalent) so that the final cost to the customer after government incentives (where applicable) remains under €30,000 (or equivalent) in a majority of the countries it is to be sold in.
*1 Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.
*2 The price includes car and batteries
Compared with the Japanese market version, the European-spec i-MiEV includes specific features such as:
* new design to the front and rear bumpers to meet EU regulations,
* re-arranged center stack in the instrument panel,
* improved interior comfort.
Furthermore, safety – both active & passive – has been improved with the addition of Active Stability Control (ASC), as well as side and curtain airbags, all standard equipment.
To celebrate 40 years of electric development at Mitsubishi Motors, a further display in Hall 8 will present the 1989 Mitsubishi Minicab EV for the first time in Europe, as part of “The Incredible Collection” heritage show.
For more information on the i-MiEV, please access www.new-imiev.com.
Going Lean and Green
Luxury automakers are going green. Names like Ferrari, Porsche, Aston Martin and Rolls Royce among others are all presenting greener – or at least smaller – cars in hopes of appealing to consumers demand for more ecologically friendly and cheaper automobiles. Is this the future of horsepower or just good old fashioned image building? Only time will tell.
Tata Indica Vista EV & Tata Ace EV To Be Launched In Europe Soon!
Tata Motors from India which has bought Jaguar and Land Rover has news for Europe. An Indian news site Hindu businessline has given news of tata launching 2 of its EV in Europe this ficial year. Among the recently launching cars, the Tata EVs can prove to be the least expensive of all. The 2 EVs being launched is Tata Ace pickup and a hatchback Indica Vista EV.
The Tata Indica Vista EV was displayed at the Geneva Motor show which was held in 2009 and the Ace Pickup truck was displayed at the Zaragosa in 2008. Tata Motors finds EV potential in the Europe in addition to the Government promoting EVs under the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure program.
Mr Ravi Kant, Vice-Chairman, told Business Line that the company would begin retailing electric vehicles in the UK and Scandinavian nations. Indications are that the Indica Vista is likely to be launched in the UK this September-October. Along with the Tata Indica Vista EV was the Tata Nano EV at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show. But there is no plans of Tata bringing it here soon, but indicated a possibility in the next 3 years.
Honda Civic Type R Discontinued! – Euro V Incompatibility Issues
Way back in early 2007, a beast had entered the European market! The Honda Civic Type R could be called nothing less than a beast as it provided the performance that people enjoyed and had satisfied those bhp thirsty drivers. They say, everything that is good, comes to an end. Sadly, the sales of the Civic Type R will stop after the month of December.
The Honda Civic Type R’s high revving 2.0L engine that produces a whopping 201 bhp will be discontinued because it is unable to comply with the Euro V emission norms that will come into play early next year. Fortunately, the car is only not sold to those areas where Euro V emission standards are followed.
The Type R will continue to be produced at Hondas Swindon facility in the UK and will be exported to markets like South Africa and Australia. The Type R will also continue to be sold in Japan.