Citroen is set to launch its own version of the electric car Mitsubishi iMiEV.

The new Citroen C-Zero is developed in collaboration with the Japanese carmaker and like the iMiEV, the rebadged model operates on the same 64bhp lithium battery.

The fully electric model produces 180Nm of torque available from 0 to 2,000rpm. With a top speed of 80mph, the C-Zero can accelerate to 62mph in 15 seconds. An overall range of 80 miles means that this little electric car suits most city commutes.

Owners can plug the supply cord into an ordinary household 220-volt socket with a complete charge taking around six hours. An 80 per cent charge is possible in just 30 minutes using a 400V charge.

With four real seats – thanks to a 2.55m wheelbase – and a 166 litre boot, the C-ZERO is comes complete with much of the equipment of any respectable supermini. Standard fit features include power steering, ABS, traction control, ESP, electric windows, six airbags and air conditioning.

Citroen’s electric edition is set to launch in the last quarter of 2010.

The idea that a wholesale switch to electric cars would automatically reduce CO2 emissions and dependence on oil is one of a number of myths dispelled by a major new report conducted on behalf of the Environmental Transport Association (ETA).

The report found that whilst there were significant potential environmental benefits to be had from a switch to electric vehicles, these were wholly dependent on changes in the way electricity was generated, energy taxed and CO2 emissions regulated.

For example, under the current EU emissions trading system, sales of electric cars are likely to result in higher overall CO2 emissions and oil consumption.

Director at the ETA, Andrew Davis, said: “Whilst the report is not intended to dampen enthusiasm for electric vehicles, their introduction should not be viewed as a panacea; significant changes to the way we produce and tax power are needed before we will reap any benefits.”

Key findings of report include:

Performance
Electric cars powered by wind or solar energy are obviously superior, but if the electricity comes from coal, hybrids perform better.

Price
There is potential for improvement in performance and reduction of costs in the medium term, but not enough to suggest electric cars could compete head-on with conventional vehicles within the next two decades.

CO2 emissions
The EU emissions trading system implies that plug-in electric cars would not increase CO2 emissions because the power sector is covered by the scheme. If this trading scheme remains unchanged, sales of electric cars are likely to result in higher overall CO2 emissions and oil consumption.

Popularity
Low running costs of electric vehicles would lead to extra demand for car transport and make necessary the taxation of electricity. On-board metering of electricity use would be a key requirement.

National Grid
Even if the National Grid has the capacity and the basic infrastructure to meet the needs of electric cars, the new demand patterns they will create may mean greater use of coal and nuclear power.

Recommendations made by the report:

It unlikely that electric vehicles will number more than 25 per cent of new sales by 2050, but in order to speed the uptake of the technology and manage the transition, the report recommends the following three
measures:

• Stringent CO2 standards for cars
The most certain way to promote electric-powered transport is to tighten long-term CO2 standards for cars to 80 g/km by 2020 and 60 g/km by 2025 whilst at the same time increasing fuel taxes.

A lack of stringent CO2 standards removes the main incentive for motor industry to invest in electrification. Road tax exemption and grants for electric cars should be abolished; electric cars must be rewarded for their energy efficiency, not for moving emissions from exhaust pipes to power station chimneys.

• Quantity and quality of electricity used in electric cars must be measured. On-board metering of the amount of electricity will be critical in order to manage and regulate demand for electric vehicles.

• The power sector has to be de-carbonised Existing loopholes in the Emissions Trading Scheme need to be closed and the cap further tightened.

Motorists could face a huge increase in fuel duty on top of a £3,300 levy on new cars under proposals outlined by the Green Fiscal Commission. So would these tax hikes linked to the amount we pollute be justified? We take a look…

Is a green tax blitz justified?

Put forward the idea of raised taxation and most people will complain. Justify it with a green agenda and some will at least stop and listen.

A report unveiled by the Green Fiscal Commission, which includes the Government’s top environmental adviser Lord Turner, as well as Conservative and Liberal Democrat politicians and Environment Agency chairman Chris Smith, has outlined a host of proposals that would heap an additional £150billion in taxes on households and businesses (see article).

What are the proposals?

The 100-page report wants to double the proportion of green taxes in the current tax take from the existing level of seven per cent. It states that green levies could be offset elsewhere by decreases in income tax and National Insurance contributions.

Among its suggestions is a £300 tax on new cars, increasing annually to £3,300 by 2020. It also puts forward the idea of further increases in fuel duty which could lead to petrol costing motorists £2 a litre within 11 years.

According to the think-tank, the blitz is essential for the UK to meet its target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by around a third in that time. However, critics have hit out at the plans suggesting that we are already over taxed and that motorists in particular are being used as ‘cash cows’.

Can a tax rise be a good thing?

In his column in The Guardian, John Sauven outlined that since 1997, the proportion of Government revenues derived from green taxes has actually fallen. If we are to get serious about tackling climate change then it is inevitable that green taxes will have to rise.

The right economic choices now could influence Britain’s ability to enter the low carbon economy as world leaders. If the UK can develop clean technology then it could dominate export markets rather than having to spend billions on buying carbon credits from countries that have left us behind. The likes of Germany and Denmark are already reaping the rewards of having altered their tax systems to encourage green innovation.

By following the steps outlined in the Green Fiscal Commission’s report, Britain could make a transition that allows it to create new jobs in low carbon industries, create energy efficient homes that keep people warm without using as much energy; and enjoy greater energy security that is less vulnerable to the fluctuations of the oil and gas markets.

Under the Stern review, three kinds of policy were outlined to reduce carbon dioxide emissions: technology stimulation, carbon pricing and the removal of the barriers to behavioural change. By implementing green taxes, all three areas would be addressed with incentives to encourage behavioural change.

The keys to a green tax change

While understanding the theory behind the proposals, there are some important caveats that must be raised before any changes are implemented.

Firstly it’s vital to note that the British public is already heavily taxed. Offsetting any increases with reductions in income tax and National Insurance contributions – as suggested – is vital. Only when these plans are made clear is there any chance of widespread acceptance.

The idea of levies on new cars will raise alarms when the industry is in recession; and any increases in fuel duty will be regarded as a money making scheme rather than anything aimed specifically at boosting the environment. So the Government should steer clear of making wholesale changes until they can justify them with reductions in taxes elsewhere.

More money must be invested into green car infrastructure too. If we are to be taxed so heavily for petrol then it must be realistic to drive an alternative vehicle – presumably an electric car. Until that infrastructure is in place, penalising motorists who have no real alternative will just be tax for the sake of tax.

Serious incentives must be introduced for drivers to move over to green cars too. In previous editions of The Green Piece Column we have openly criticised the Government for failing to attach an emissions criteria to its scrappage scheme – in theory a motorist could pick up a new vehicle at a reduced cost under the scrappage scheme, even if it pollutes more than their existing car. There have to be real incentives to go green and to further encourage car manufacturers and dealers to veer away from traditional gas guzzlers.

Green taxation has the potential to be a step forward – to stimulate technology, to put Britain in a competitive position and to stimulate behavioural changes at ground level. However, these changes must be preceded by significant investment in green infrastructure to give motorists a clear alternative and an opportunity to make positive environmental changes to their lifestyle. Otherwise levying these taxes would be little more than a swinging form of income tax.

It is BMW’s first application of the two-mode transmission it developed in partnership with GM and DaimlerChrysler, and as the debut of the BMW ActiveHybrid X6 inches ever closer, the company has released a host of new details about this eagerly anticipated model.

The ActiveHybrid X6 will offer approximately a 20 per cent reduction in fuel consumption versus a comparable vehicle powered by a combustion engine alone and yet puts clear emphasis on driver dynamics. Its drive system consists of a 4.4litre 300kW/407hp V8 power unit with BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology and two electric motors. Peak torque is 780Nm.

The engine originally made its debut in the BMW X6 xDrive50i – the world’s first V8 petrol engine with two turbochargers and two catalytic converters in the V-section between the two rows of the cylinders. The four cylinders are each supplied with compressed air by one turbocharger and engine power builds up without delay helping the engine to higher speeds.

Clearly powerful, the BMW ActiveHybrid X6 can accelerate from a standstill to 100km/h in a mere 5.6seconds and reach a top speed of 146mph (155mph with the sports package). Its average fuel consumption is 23.8mpg and it has a CO2 emission rating of 231g/km.

The vehicle is the first BMW full hybrid model capable of running exclusively on electric power up to a speed of 37mph with the combustion engine coming into effect when required. With the two-mode active transmission there is enhanced efficiency and performance and with the two electric motors, the drive power is transmitted through a seven-gear automatic transmission.

The BMW ActiveHybrid X6 also makes the most of an upgraded version of the brake energy recuperation that is featured in BMW’s current models. When in overrun, the electric motors act as generators that feed the high performance battery and depending on the stopping power that is applied, the brake energy recuperation is either performed by one or both electric motors.

Manufacturers continue to make efforts to slash carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, and now Citroen has introduced two new greener power plants to its C5 range.

In comes a new BMW co-developed 1.6i 16V THP 155hp petrol engine that replaces the out-going 2.0i 16V 143hp unit; and a new 2.0HDi 16V 160hp diesel that replaces the 2.2HDi 16V 173hp engine. Both are Euro V rated.

The 1.6i 16V THP 155hp petrol provides 240Nm of torque at 1,400rpm as well as an eight per cent increase in power and an 18.5 per cent increase in combined cycle fuel economy. The engine slashes emissions by 16 per cent – down from 198g/km to 167g/km and thanks to these lower emissions, VED charges are cut from £215 to £175.

Meanwhile, the new 2.0HDi 16V 160hp diesel supplies 340Nm of torque at 2,000rpm – that’s a 14 per cent increase in power that is coupled with a three per cent increase in fuel economy and a four per cent reduction in CO2 emissions from 153g/km to 147g/km. This in turn knocks VED charges down from £150 to £125.

The saloon version of the Citroen C5 starts at £18,195 on the road.

Having already announced that its Zoe ZE Concept will be manufactured in Flins, France (see article) and that it’s Twizy ZE Concept will call Vallodolid in Spain its home (see article), Renault has now revealed its plans for the future electric, zero-emission version of its Kangoo Express LCV.

The vehicle will be produced at Maubeuge Carrosserie Automobile (MCA) in northern France starting in the first half of 2011. It will be built on the same production line as the internal combustion variants with the new version benefitting from the logistics network of the current Kangoo, as well as its fabric of suppliers. 

MCA has specialised in LCVs for 20 years and already produces the Kangoo, Kangoo Express and Kangoo be bop. As such the company is confident that it can adapt to the diversity needed for this new kind of vehicle. Both the Kangoo be bop and the Kangoo ZE Concept were the precursors to the future electric Kangoo which is mainly intended for urban and peri-urban use.

The news comes less than a week after Renault revealed that it would produce the Zoe ZE Concept in France beginning in 2012 and that the Group would take part in a French joint venture for research into production and recycling of batteries for electric vehicles.

Solar power could become cheaper and a more practical energy solution thanks to research into specially designed fibre optics. Converting sunlight to electricity might no longer mean large panels of photovoltaic cells atop flat surfaces like roofs.

Using zinc oxide nanostructures grown on optical fibers and coated with dye-sensitized solar cell materials, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a new type of three-dimensional photovoltaic system.

This system gives the light much more surface area to interact with, leading to higher overall efficiency of electricity production. However, only the ends of the fibres must be exposed – they funnel the light elsewhere for power generation.

“Using this technology, we can make photovoltaic generators that are foldable, concealed and mobile,” said Zhong Lin Wang, a Regents professor in the Georgia Tech School of Materials Science and Engineering. “Optical fiber could conduct sunlight into a building’s walls where the nanostructures would convert it to electricity. This is truly a three dimensional solar cell.”

Details of the research were published in the early view of the journal Angewandte Chemie International on October 22. The work was sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the KAUST Global Research Partnership and the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Dye-sensitized solar cells use a photochemical system to generate electricity. They are inexpensive to manufacture, flexible and mechanically robust, but their tradeoff for lower cost is conversion efficiency lower than that of  traditional silicon-based cells. But using nanostructure arrays to increase the surface area available to convert light could help reduce the efficiency disadvantage, while giving architects and designers new options for incorporating PV into buildings, vehicles and even military equipment.

Fabrication of the new Georgia Tech PV system begins with optical fiber of the type used by the telecommunications industry to transport data. First, the researchers remove the cladding layer, then apply a conductive coating to the surface of the fiber before seeding the surface with zinc oxide. Next, they use established solution-based techniques to grow aligned zinc oxide nanowires around the fiber much like the bristles of a bottle brush. The nanowires are then coated with the dye-sensitized materials that convert light to electricity.

Sunlight entering the optical fiber passes into the nanowires, where it interacts with the dye molecules to produce electrical current. A liquid electrolyte between the nanowires collects the electrical charges. The result is a hybrid nanowire/optical fiber system that can be up to six times as efficient as planar zinc oxide cells with the same surface area.

“In each reflection within the fiber, the light has the opportunity to interact with the nanostructures that are coated with the dye molecules,” Wang explained. “You have multiple light reflections within the fiber, and multiple reflections within the nanostructures. These interactions increase the likelihood that the light will interact with the dye molecules, and that increases the efficiency.”

Wang and his research team have reached an efficiency of 3.3 percent and hope to reach 7 to 8 per cent after surface modification. While lower than silicon solar cells, this efficiency would be useful for practical energy harvesting.

By providing a larger area for gathering light, the technique would maximize the amount of energy produced from strong sunlight, as well as generate respectable power levels even in weak light. The amount of light entering the optical fiber could be increased by using lenses to focus the incoming light, and the fiber-based solar cell has a very high saturation intensity, Wang said.

Wang believes this new structure will offer architects and product designers an alternative PV format for incorporating into other applications.

“This will really provide some new options for photovoltaic systems,” Wang said. “We could eliminate the aesthetic issues of PV arrays on building. We can also envision PV systems for providing energy to parked vehicles, and for charging mobile military equipment where traditional arrays aren’t practical or you wouldn’t want to use them.”

Wang and his research team, which includes Benjamin Weintraub and Yaguang Wei, have produced generators on optical fiber up to 20 centimeters in length. “The longer the better,” said Wang, “because longer the light can travel along the fiber, the more bounces it will make and more it will be absorbed.”

Traditional quartz optical fiber has been used so far, but Wang would like to use less expensive polymer fiber to reduce the cost. He is also considering other improvements, such as a better method for collecting the charges and a titanium oxide surface coating that could further boost efficiency.

Thanks to a co-operative agreement with the US Department of Energy (DOE), Hydrogen Energy California LLC (HECA) will build a hydrogen powered electric generating facility in Kern County, California, with carbon capture and storage.

The company, owned by Hydrogen Energy International, BP Alternative Energy and Rio Tinto, plans to build an advanced integrated gasification combined cycle plant that can produce power by converting fuel into hydrogen and carbon dioxide using a blend of 75 per cent coal and 25 per cent petroleum coke. This hydrogen will then be used to power a combustion turbine which generates enough electricity – around 250MW – to power more than 150,000 homes.

Around 90 per cent of the CO2 it produces from the gasification process will be transported via pipeline to the Elks Hill oilfield, which is less than four miles away, where it will be sequestered in an enhanced oil recovery application.

In an effort to limit the use of California’s fresh water sources, the proposed plant will maximise the use of non-portable water. It is part of the Clean Coal Power Initiative, which is a cost-shared collaboration between private industry and the Federal Government aimed at increasing investment in low emission coal technology.

The estimated cost is $2.3billion to be cost shared by the DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy and the National Energy Technology Laboratory. The Federal cost-share is limited to $308million – just under 11 per cent of the total project costs.

Though Renault may be a French manufacturer, it can boast a number of roots in Spain where it already produces the Megane Hatchback, the Megane Estate, the Modus and the Grand Modus. Now it plans to take its green car production to another level in the country.

It has chosen to manufacture the Twizy ZE Concept at Valladolid, which is 150km north-west of Madrid, with production due to start in 2011.

The plant has been chosen due to its expertise in compact car production as it currently produces the Modus and Grand Modus, as well as a share of New Clio output. The company also hopes to produce its future electric vehicle in Spain as close as possible to the sales market in order to simplify logistics.

The news follows on from Renault recently assigning production of the Zoe ZE Concept to Flins in France (see article) and is a further sign of the company stepping up its efforts in electric car production. The company also announced last month that Valladolid would be allocated production of a thermal engine in 2012, as well as a fuel combustion vehicle in 2013.

The UK-backed Technology Strategy Board will invest £4.5million as part of a new £9million research and development project that will allow a consortium to develop four prototypes of a new all-electric city car.

Known as the T.27 project the electric city car will be sustainably manufactured, and is led by a consortium that includes Gordon Murray Design and Zytek Automotive Limited with technical support from Michelin Plc and Continental Corporation, as well as sub-contractors Vocis Driveline Controls, VCA UK, ENAX and MIRA Limited.

The aim of the project is to produce four running prototypes of a three-seat all-electric vehicle that can achieve a four-star Euro NCAP rating as well as excellent pedestrian safety. It will apply iStream methodology, a manufacturing process developed by Gordon Murray Design, as well as being linked to a lightweight, highly efficient drivetrain from Zytek.

The result is a car that is slightly smaller than a Smart but offers more interior space. It is predicted that the T.27 will have lifecycle emissions of 63 per cent less than the average car and 27 per cent less than similar electric vehicles thanks to the iStream manufacturing process, which is all about sustainable, low energy process in design.

It is hoped that the 16month project will develop prototypes that put the consortium in the position to further explore scaling up and building a manufacturing facility with the ultimate aim of making the vehicle available on the open market.