Automobile News

The theme of this year’s British Motor Show, taking place now, appears to be frugality and energy conservation. Other than driving less, one the best ways to save fuel is naturally to purchase a more fuel efficient vehicle, and thankfully the industry has started to offer some truly thrifty models. The Ford Fiesta ECOnetic currently being introduced at the Motor Show exemplifies this new demand for petrol saving cars, and impresses with an astounding fuel mileage of 76.3 mpg.

The Fiesta ECOnetic’s economical features don’t end there either. Other than officially being the most petrol efficient car in the UK, the Fiesta ECOnetic is not called ECO for nothing. It manages to also be one of the most environmentally friendly cars on the road as well, with carbon dioxide emissions of only 98g/km. A structural change in design, as well as a lowered suspension and better tyres, have helped contributed to this low CO2 output. Clearly, the Fiesta ECOnetic speaks directly to the needs of everyday people today, with its high emphasis on fuel conservation and the environment. The Focus ECOnetic sold particularly well in the UK and this long anticipated model can definitely expect similar success.

If there is one car brand or model that represents the antithesis of an environmentally friendly and fuel conserving vehicle, then it would no doubt be the General Motors Hummer. In fact, one site called FUH2.com has thousands of user submitted pictures of people hating on the vehicle, and it is often targeted and burned by radical environmentalist organizations.  Among other reasons, this apparent animosity arises from the perception of the Hummer as very bad for the environment. Of course, to many other people the Hummer means something else altogether.

Originally used by the US Military and then popularized by Arnold Schwarzenegger and famous American rappers, the Hummer signifies both wealth and power. Of course, it also happens to be one of the least fuel efficient cars on the market, some models only get around 10 mpg, and most drivers never use the vehicles for their original purpose, namely, off-roading. Then, due to the onset of far higher petrol prices, the Hummer became an especially expensive status symbol to own, and began facing slumping sales. So what has the company done to make the Hummer more marketable and appealing? General Motors has taken an unexpected and surprising turn by unveiling the new green (that is, environmentally friendly, not green coloured) Hummer at the British Motor Show in London.

Yes, you read correctly, the symbol of immense power and terrible petrol mileage is now being made over to symbolize green technology and fuel efficiency. The new car is named the Hummer HX and is currently on display at the Motor Show along with many other green cars, although this model is doubtlessly one of the most surprising. The major technological revolution that causes the car to turn green is its reliance on biodiesel, instead of normal petrol. According to General Motors, this shift will make the cars substantially more environmentally friendly. Of course, other companies have already made the shift to biodiesel, including most notably Saab and Ford with their Ford Focus, so the technology is hardly revolutionary.

The next generation green Hummer will also getter a better fuel mileage because of other factors, including lighter materials and a slightly smaller size. The HX is constructed from light materials like aluminium and carbon fibre, whereas the original Hummer was made firmly of heavy steel. General Motors has also decided to make sure the materials used in the car were themselves environmentally friendly, by, for example, using recyclable fibre for the seats. However, two significant questions still linger. Firstly, how much more environmentally responsible will the Hummer truly be as the result of these changes, and, secondly, will traditional Hummer consumers still want to purchase a vehicle that is smaller, less powerful, and overall more ‘girly’ because of its focus on the environment?