GENEVA2009 MOTOR SHOW:The Geneva Show was a further indicator of the direction 'green' technology is taking, but most of us will have to wait a few years to see it in action, writes Shane O'Donoghue, in Geneva
BENTLEY’S CENTREPIECE in Geneva is a 621bhp supercar that purports not only to be the company’s fastest car ever, but also its greenest.
That claim comes from its ability to run on any mixture of unleaded petrol and E85 bio-ethanol, use of the latter resulting in a “well to wheel” reduction of CO2 of a claimed 70 per cent.
Of course, that’s in comparison to a car producing the same power utilising regular petrol, but the car of the future is highly unlikely to consume a fossil fuel – directly in any case.
The electric car revolution has begun in earnest, with small, niche manufacturers at extremes of the price scale currently enjoying a massive surge in interest in their products.
At the bottom of the ladder is a group of cars suitable only for low-speed city usage, while sportscars such as the Tesla Roadster and Karma Fisker occupy the top rungs. It’s the middle ground that interests most buyers, though, and finally we’re seeing some movement in the right direction.
Given America’s tradition for gas guzzling V8s, it’s a little surprising that one of the cornerstones of the electric revolution has come from the Big Three.
The Chevrolet Volt, as already chronicled in these pages, uses electric propulsion, with its usable range extended by an onboard generator of electricity.
That car hits the US market some time in 2010 – all going to plan – and Opel unveiled its version in Geneva: the Ampera.
Realistically, we can’t expect the Ampera to go on sale until about 2011.
Speaking to engineers and product planners in Geneva, 2011 seems to have the potential to be the “year of the electric car” in Europe, with several other manufacturers currently developing their electric technology for introduction around the same time.
Where this will leave the current pioneers remains to be seen.
The likes of Tesla and Fisker will always be in demand with well-heeled customers, but seriously compromised cars, such as the Reva G-Wiz and its ilk surely are living on borrowed time.
That’s assuming that the mainstream car makers can deliver on their electric promises - and that there are mainstream manufacturers still in business to do so.