Eco road warriors

Has the world of motoring really changed at all since the 1980s? That was the question I asked myself as I entered the Commercial Vehicle Show in Birmingham last month. It’s really still all about power, speed and er… sex, isn’t it?

To my surprise things do seem to be moving on. Alongside the traditional gas-guzzling pick-ups and quite respectably clad beauties, I found a host of manufacturers with sustainable alternatives on display, and firms offering other retro-fit carbon reduction technologies.

The reasons for the switch are there for all to see: as the threat of global warming escalates many companies are seeking environmentally friendly alternatives, and green credentials are becoming important to firms wanting

to win big public sector jobs. What’s more, with fuel prices coming in at over £1 a litre things aren’t getting any cheaper.

Here’s CM’s pick of the latest sustainable models...

Ampere
1.5p a mile fuel costs
zero carbon emissions
six-hour charge gives 100 hours of operation

If you’re in the market for a low-carbon vehicle then they don’t come much more eco friendly than Smith Electric’s new Ampere. This pure electric, lithium-ion battery-powered light commercial vehicle (LCV) generates zero CO2 emissions, is quiet to drive, with no diesel engine noise or vibration, and costs just 1.5p a mile to ‘fuel’. Developed with Ford and based on its popular Transit Connect van, the vehicle has a top speed of 70mph and, because the battery pack is slung underneath the vehicle, rather than inside, it can take a payload of 800kg.

‘Each six-hour charge will power the vehicle for 100 hours, so the Ampere is not really suitable for long-distance trips, but it’s perfect for urban areas,’ explains Smith Electric marketing manager Dan Jenkins.

‘A large percentage of the construction fleet is running on very low mileage – effectively to and from a job site – so in urban areas it makes much more sense to run this vehicle rather than diesel vans. As a pure electric vehicle, it is also exempt from the London congestion charge,’ he adds.

But before we get carried away, battery-powered vehicles are charged via mains electricity, which comes from the grid, which means coal-fired power stations right? Is there any real energy saving here? ‘Even if you charge the vehicle from the grid, there is still a saving of over 50% on CO² compared to a diesel vehicle,’ says Jenkins. ‘And in terms of total energy efficiency, an internal combustion engine is about 25% efficient, which means that 75% of the energy from the diesel you put in your tank is lost between the tank and the wheels. The Ampere’s electric drive train is well over 90% efficient.’

Priced at £31,995 in basic configuration the Ampere is not cheap – compare that with the £10,395 for the similarly-sized Peugeot New Partner – but Jenkins says fuel savings mean the vehicle can pay for itself within three to four years, making it cheaper than the diesel equivalent.

Balfour Beatty is a recent Smith Electric customer, and is currently trialling several of its larger Newton vans. Production of the Ampere for the European market begins later this year.

Caddy Bluemotion
Tweaks to the engine management system mean it can do 60 miles on a gallon of diesel.

Customers put off by the ruinously high price of diesel might want to consider Volkswagen’s new Caddy BlueMotion (passenger version pictured), which thanks to tweaks to the engine management software, longer gearing and a variety of aerodynamic measures, can cover 60 miles on little more than a gallon of diesel. While no real green technology is involved here, the fuel savings have obvious implications on emissions. Based on VW’s regular Caddy design the BlueMotion is in the concept stage, but should become available next year.

Caddy Eco Fuel

VW’s current green offering is focussed on the Caddy Eco Fuel, a compressed natural gas-fuelled (CNG) version of the regular Caddy LCV. ‘Charged’ overnight using a gas pump connected to a house or business gas supply, the vehicle can reportedly reduce CO² emissions by 20% and other pollutant emissions by 90%. As with Smith Electric’s Ampere, the CNG fuel tanks are stored underneath the vehicle to maximise loading space.

While the infrastructure for CNG is quite well developed in Germany, where it has been available for many years, refuelling in the UK is a bit of an issue as there aren’t many public sites available. But VW is talking to suppliers with a view to boosting availability as the technology is rolled out on a larger scale.

Kangoo
3m3 load capacity and 650-800kg payloads
Emits less than 140kg/km of CO2

Scheduled for an official UK launch later this year, the new Renault Kangoo and Kangoo Compact are the first Renault vans to be produced under its Eco² environmental initiative, which has already been applied to its cars.

The scheme guarantees that vehicles:

• Emit less than 140g/km of CO2 or are able to run on either B30 biodiesel or E85 bioethanol.

• Are built at an ISO 14001 accredited plant (ie one that takes measures to reduce its impact on the environment).

• Are built from at least 5% recycled plastic (EU law states all vehicles must be built from 95% recoverable materials, but no one yet states how much plastic goes into newbuild vehicles).

After investigation CM has discovered that the 140g/kg CO2 threshold was only met by the 68hp and 86hp versions of the 1.5 dCi engine. While Renault admits difficulty reaching 140g/km on all panel vans, it is looking at implementing biofuel options for the upcoming Trafic and new Master vans.

The new Kangoo offers 3m3 load capacity – an entire Euro pallet can now fit in the back – and 650-800kg payloads. Handling is also greatly improved because it’s built on the Scénic car platform, which gives a wider wheelbase.

A full steel bulkhead is also fitted as standard on right-hand drive models, improving driver safety when carrying heavy loads.

Nemo
Small footprint, high payload
1.4 HDi engine cuts CO2 emissions to 120g/km

Another compact vehicle suitable for urban work is the Nemo, which manufacturer Citroën claims is ‘the UK’s smallest biggest van’ because it has the same footprint as a supermini Citroën C3, but can take a 610kg payload. The 1.4 HDi engine is very efficient, cutting CO2 emissions to 120g/km (see below).

New partner
Can run on 30% biodiesel
made from plants that produce oxygen, offsetting CO2

Biodiesel is not environmentally beneficial during a vehicle’s operation, but as the plants grown to make it produce oxygen, which helps offset damage caused by CO² emissions, it is a much more sustainable source of fuel than petrol. Peugeot is keen to promote the fuel because its vehicles fitted with HDi engines can run on a 30% concentration of biodiesel without any modification. As with CNG there is an issue with availability in the UK, however, but Peugeot is working with supermarkets to increase distribution – Morrisons in Coventry already offers 30% biodiesel at its stores.

Peugeot’s New Partner van, an expanded version of the Partner Origin LCV, is the latest addition to its fleet. The Model S is available in two body lengths, with payloads of 625kg, 750kg or 850kg. Unlike the older model it includes three seats in front and it comes at a basic price of £10,395 excl VAT.

Also available in the UK for the first time is the smaller Peugeot Bipper van, which features an electronically controlled manual gearbox designed for urban drivers. With a 2.5m3 single load volume it can handle a 610kg payload and prices start at £7,995 excl VAT. CO² emissions have been cut to just 119g/km, which makes drivers eligible for tax breaks under a new government initiative (see below).