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Written by:
Wouter Melissen
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10/08/2008 - 11:12 AM
Charlotte, NC
With the Citroen C4 WRC, HybridSaving fuel and the environment go hand in hand. (Photo: ultimatecarpage.com) ยป More Photos
Introduction
Amidst the biggest economic and fuel crisis of the last decades, the Mondial de l’Automobile opened its doors seemingly unaffected. The reality is quite different and closer inspection revealed many worried faces across the board. The rising oil prices were something the industry could deal with, but the credit crunch has disastrous effects. The sales figures of new cars are frighteningly low with customers unwilling to spend money or unable to get credit. Despite the dismal state of the automotive industry, sitting out one of the biggest shows in the world really was no option. All big manufacturers were present and each did their best to hide the worries with lavish displays and dozens of brand new production and concept cars. The two major trends were ‘green cars’ and ‘superminis’, which both form an answer to the challenges the industry faces. Probably appealing more to the enthusiasts were the high performance and luxury novelties of which there were quite a few.
Colin Chapman, the environmentalist
Citroen C4 WRC HybridSaving fuel and the environment go hand in hand and this is best achieved by consuming as little energy as possible. Ironically that’s what racing car designers like Lotus’ Colin Chapman have been trying for over a century. His credo ‘add less weight’ is more relevant now than ever before. The most common ‘green cars’ are hybrids, which combine a conventional powertrain with an additional system of regenerative batteries to power electric motor(s). These were pioneered by Japanese manufacturers Toyota and Honda. Now they and in their wake many other manufacturers are trying to bring this technology to track as a marketing tool, but certainly also to get a performance advantage. At the Silverstone 1000 km race last month Peugeot rolled out the fully functional 908 HY; one of the first top level hybrid racing cars. The French manufacturer
Tesla RoadsterThe rise in fuel prices has given the plug-in electric vehicles extra momentum. One of the most exciting of these is the American Tesla Roadster. Using a very light Lotus (yes that green manufacturer again) chassis in combination with two potent electric motors, they created a very exciting sports car. Driving one is an unusual (very quiet) experience, but the 380 Nm of torque available from 0 (zero!) rpm is something I could get very used to. The problem right now is the high price of the car and the limited range; a quick fill-up is impossible. General Motors have found a solution for at least the latter with their Chevrolet Volt. Using a petrol engine as a generator once the batteries are empty, the range of the Volt is not limited. Toyota followed suit by introducing a ‘plug-in’ version of the pioneering Prius.
Together with French experts Bolloré, Italian design house Pininfarina unveiled the electric B Zero concept. It was dedicated to the late Andrea Pininfarina, who was a firm believer in the project. The car uses Bolloré developed ‘LMP’ batteries which are lighter, more durable and more efficient than conventional batteries. The car will be produced in Turin by ‘Bolloré-Pininfarina.’
Not necessarily going to the extremes of additional or alternative powertrains, all manufacturers have worked hard to make their existing petrol and diesel engines more frugal and less polluting. All of the above are great developments to maintain our mobility and hopefully the economic problems won’t put a temporary end to these efforts.
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