The greenest family car on sale in Europe is partly British engineered and has a super-frugal British-built engine. So perhaps our gullible politicians and moaning mass media may finally believe that the UK car industry is not quite the green goofball that it’s portrayed.
The new Ford Fiesta Econetic is more fuel abstemious and emits less carbon, according to the official government figures, than that darling of the green preeners, the Toyota Prius. What’s more, the difference in ‘real world’ mpg and CO2 emissions is likely to be even greater. (Hybrids are typically more fuel consumptive than the ‘official’ figures promise, especially when the weather gets chilly and their batteries lose energy.)
Media commentary repeatedly implies that the UK car industry is about as high-tech as a blacksmith’s workshop and lags behind overseas rivals. Thus it is not worthy of aid, support, interest-free loans or any other government help – unlike those lovely bankers and hedge fund managers. I notice that the recent Mandelson measures also include mandatory green initiatives, as though the British car boys are a lazy and dirty bunch and really must try harder.
Well our car industry isn’t perfect. But we do have the most productive factory in Europe (Nissan at Sunderland), we do make the ‘best car in the world’ (the Rolls-Royce Phantom), we do make the world’s most capable luxury 4×4 (Range Rover), we do make the world’s most beautiful sports cars (Aston Martin), we do make the most-fun small car in the world (Mini) and we make the best F1 cars too (McLaren). And don’t forget that the provider of the tech and production nous behind the Tesla is Lotus.
Our green creds aren’t all bad either. Ford’s new high-tech diesel engine facility at Dagenham, powered by carbon-zero wind turbines, produces a range of commendable low mpg diesel motors (including the Fiesta Econetic’s) that are about 20-25% more economical than the petrol engines they typically replace. Dagenham has done more to reduce overall European CO2 car emission levels than all the hybrids sold in Europe. (When did you ever hear a UK politician mention that?).
Jaguar is the world leader in lightweight aluminium bodies, a technology (as with hybrids and diesels) that will become increasingly important. Aluminium is also more durable and more easily recycled than conventional steel. Little wonder a Jaguar XJ turbodiesel is one of the greenest luxury cars on sale (and rather more fuel abstemious than the Lexus LS hybrid, one of the darlings of our hybrid-hyping politicians).
The Mini Cooper D, built in Britain, is also an eco champ (72.4mpg/104 g/km CO2). It’s more economical than a Prius. So why don’t British ministers, keen to preen green, drive around in one of those? Preferably with a Union Jack on the roof.
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