CARS that use so-called alternative fuels are about to change from being considered a bit quirky to everyday realities. The automotive industry more than any other is embracing the need to be seen to be doing its bit to save the planet and motorists are increasingly prepared to choose environmentally-friendly cars. This was one of the main messages to emerge from this year’s Geneva Motor Show, which is one of the most important and influential events of its type in the world. The success of the impending drive towards environmentally-friendly forms of personal transport is two-fold – with genuinely impressive and practical technology now perfected and a willingness among motorists to embrace it. Various forms of low or non-polluting alternatives are being adopted by different manufacturers, including hybrids, bio-ethanol, hydrogen power and a host of others. BMW uses hydrogen for its non-polluting 7 Series while rival Lexus prefers petrol/electric hybrid technology. Other giants such as General Motors choose bio-ethanol for its showcase Saab models. Saab used the Geneva show to reveal the world’s first production-based engine to be optimised for pure bio-ethanol fuel, which until now has had to be used in conjunction with conventional fuels such as petrol or diesel. The new Saab BioPower 100 is a milestone evolution of the Saab 9-5, combining Saab’s turbocharging expertise with the use of high-octane E100 fuel to achieve 300bhp from a two-litre engine. Additionally, the engine boasts similar pulling power to that of a naturally-aspirated four-litre unit, giving 0-60mph acceleration in just over six and a half seconds. Toyota says that the march towards a world where hybrids are considered normal continues with the Geneva launch of the Hybrid X concept. This is a four-seater "open space" vehicle with the dimensions of a conventional family car but the look of a futuristic coupe. Korean company Kia also revealed a hybrid at the show in the form of the Rio hybrid, which uses an 89bhp 1.4-litre petrol engine together with a 16bhp electric motor and continuously variable transmission for the first time. There is also a stop/start function which shuts down both the engine and the motor if the car stands still for more than a few seconds. Top speed is 112mph, the 0-60mph time is 12.2 seconds and economy is 53mpg in comparison to 60mpg for the 1.5-litre turbo diesel version. Honda is taking hybrid technology a stage further with a sports model using the technology to demonstrate that it does not have to be boring. The Small Hybrid Sports Concept is a sports car that features advanced hybrid technology and Honda says that it plans to sell more than three times as many Civic Hybrids this year than in 2006. However, while this sounds impressive, it actually translates into just 3,000 cars in the UK during the whole of his year. British sports car maker Lotus is also getting in on the hybrid act having developed an engine which can be retro-fitted to existing models. Its first use is likely to be in cars developed by its parent company Proton. Yet another form of non-fossil fuel is the hydrogen based fuel stack, which Honda says it has also mastered – to a degree. A fully-functional Honda FCX Concept was on display for the first time in Europe with a range of 354 miles and a top speed limited to 100mph. Limited marketing of a new fuel cell vehicle based on the FCX Concept model is to begin in Japan and America next year. Meanwhile Honda’s next-generation diesel engine uses unique technology to reduce emissions to the same level as that of a petrol engine. The catalytic converter has an innovative system that uses the reductive reaction of ammonia to detoxify oxides of nitrogen by converting them into harmless nitrogen. The innovative technology uses the ammonia generated within the catalytic converter that we sometimes smell as rotten eggs. Just to show how the environmentally-friendly technologies can be used for a wide range of applications Citroen showcased a Cruise Crosser all-terrain concept car. To minimise its impact on the environment, a hybrid drivetrain combines a conventional diesel engine with an electric motor under the rear floor to cut fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. When the electric third axle is used alone it is possible to drive silently in ‘Zero Emission Vehicle’ mode. Even large luxury models are getting in on the environmentally-friendly act, as illustrated by the Lexus LS 600h. Its five-litre V8 engine is part of a hybrid system that works in conjunction with an electrically-controlled continuously variable transmission that delivers performance typical of a normally-aspirated V12. At the same time, combined economy is 30mpg and carbon dioxide emissions are 220g/km, which are about the same as the levels achieved by the cleanest diesels in the segment. Manufacturers admit that it is contrary to the basic laws of physics to enable us to be transported from one place to another without consuming energy in one form or another. However, they are minimising the impact and whichever alternative fuel eventually turns out to be the winner – whether it is bio-ethanol, hydrogen or simply petrol/electric hybrids – no sector of industry is doing more than that of the automotive companies. | 
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