The finalists for the World Green Car of the Year have been chosen, after careful review by three green car experts and a fifty-nine-member jury. The three contenders for this year’s Green Car crown are the Honda FCX Clarity, Mitsubishi iMiev and the Toyota iQ. The Toyota iQ is also in the running for 2009 World Car too (with the Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Golf VI).
Presumably, all of these green cars should qualify for the US government 7,500US$ (5,900Euro) rebate program to kick-start an advanced low emissions vehicle market – unless of course the rebate program is restricted to buying a US product only policy.
The Honda FCX Clarity is a hydrogen powered fuel cell vehicle, that uses the hydrogen to combine with oxygen in the fuel cell generating electricity to drive a 100kw electric motor powered drive train. The exhaust emission is mostly water and some stray hydrogen atoms – a real green machine. The FCX gets around 270miles (432kms) to the tank and its energy efficiency is around 60% compared to 30% for a hybrid and less than 20% for a regular compact gas-powered car.
Currently the cars are leased to government and corporate users in Japan; and a few lucky US owners in California, including Jamie Lee Curtis. There are few hydrogen gas stations so don’t expect to see one cruise silently down your street leaving behind a water vapour trail anytime soon.
The Mitsubishi iMiev, a high tech electric vehicle, with a 16kwh lithium ion battery and 47kw electric motor with a 81mile (130km) range that can carry four people, with a top speed of 80mph (130kph). Recharging is from 100-200V. In Japan the The Mitsubishi iMiev is available as a gas-powered and also an electric only vehicle, and the electric one is rumored to be the better of the two.
The Toyota iQ is one small vehicle, from a big manufacturer. It is about 2/3rds the size of a Toyota Yaris but still can carry 3+1 people which means 3 adults and a child, or two people and grocery bags for a week. The 1.0-liter petrol engine version gets 55 mpg (23.3kms/litre) and a 0-60mph (0-96kph) of 14 seconds; and a 1.4-liter turbodiesel gets 57 mpg (24.1kms/litre). The 1.0liter engine version has such low carbon emissions (99g/km, 0.35lb/mile) that it avoids having to pay UK road tax, saving 100euro/165US$ per year compared to a Toyota Yaris for example. The iQ has other eco-technology that tells the driver when it is possible to change gear and save on gas. The US price should be around $15,000 (11,850 Euro).
Resources
World Green Car: http://www.wcoty.com/media/
Honda: http://automobiles.honda.com/
Mitsubishi: http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/
Toyota: http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/
Trevor Williams is a University of Victoria Mechanical Engineering PhD candidate specialising in renewable energy, power grid modelling and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. He has a bachelors in Aeronautical Engineering, a Masters in Management Science and over 23 years international experience in the space industry, having worked on Earth observation and telecommunications satellites. He is the author of the Eco Geek blog.
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