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Following on from my previous blog post in which I was musing over the next steps to a cleaner environment. Maybe VW/Audi had the answer all along!

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Rather than fiddle the emission figures they have been working in the back room on a revival of the hydrogen fuel cell, something of which I’m a great supporter. According to their press releases the car will be more dynamic and more efficient than anything else in production.

The only thing they haven’t revealed is the bodystyle they will use to launch the new technology. Audi have produced hydrogen powered concept cars in the past as A2 and Q5 models and they have recently been showing off the A7 h-tron prototype which can power to 62mph in 7.9 seconds with a range of 300 miles.

Dr Rene Van Doom, powertrain engineer for fuel cell technology, confirmed that Audi has four major priorities for the immediate future, one of which is alternative drivetrains. He added that Audi were set to go into volume production with fuel cells as soon as the market and infrastructure justifies the move.

Their 10 year plan includes providing an electric alternative for every model in its range. With mild hybrid (whatever that is), plug in or hydrogen cell system. In 2016 a new 48 volt hybrid will be launched with an electric compressor to eliminate the annoying turbo lag and boosting efficiency by shutting down the engine when coasting.

If that wasn’t enough to put them ahead of the game again they are now working on electronic dampers that not only reduce body roll but they use the movement to regenerate kinetic energy to charge your mobile phone and air-con in the way that kinetic energy generated in hybrid cars recharges batteries. They claim that they can recuperate 150 watts meaning a CO2 saving of 3g/km. Amazing!

They also mentioned that they still understand the importance of internal combustion engines and will not neglect development of this technology. Good to hear! By Graham Hill

2 years ago I reported on some comments made by an environmental and technical expert who said that European targets for emissions were not only becoming difficult to meet but impossible to meet.

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He explained that an internal combustion engine burns fossil fuel which has the negative effect of emitting undesirable gasses and particles that pollute the air. That is a fact that can’t be changed. The objectives to continually reduce the gasses is fine and very environmentally friendly but technology and additives can only go so far before the targets are impossible to meet.

We all know that the harder we drive our cars the higher the amount of fuel we use. We may get from A to B quicker but we use much more fuel in doing so and it goes without saying the more fuel we use the more gas we emit from the exhaust. So as we reach the limit of gas reduction is the next step a control on the way we drive.

The only measure used at the moment is CO2 but will NOx enter the equation following the VW debacle? And by halving the NOx emissions target (Euro VI diesel engines) have we created an impossible task for the manufacturers? As we know fuel consumption figures are shown using different driving conditions, urban, extra urban and combined.

They may not exactly reflect actual driving conditions but we have three, often very different figures so why do we have just one CO2 emission figure as well as other singular gas emission figures when clearly they must differ from 10mph to 100mph? It was clear, even 2 years ago when I expressed my opinion on this subject that some creativity would have to enter the equation if targets were to be met.

However, I didn’t expect that creativity to extend to out and out deception. And whilst there wasn’t a murmur when the new Euro VI emissions came into effect on the first of September, following the VW debacle many manufacturers have announced that they are struggling to meet the Euro VI targets – strange that isn’t it? So what next? Will we see driving style and speed controls?

Limits on motorways dropped to 60mph and a drop from 30 to 20 around town? Or maybe cameras that can measure acceleration away from lights to stop drivers from pretending to be Lewis Hamilton? All very worrying for us petrol heads! By Graham Hill

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Considering the latest announcements relating to electric car production and the government emphasising its efforts to support electric cars by increasing incentives it was a bit of a surprise to hear Bosch announce that petrol and diesel cars will be by far the most dominant vehicles for the next 20 years. They went on to explain that this would be due to planned improvements that are due to take place in the internal Read more »

Considering the latest announcements relating to electric car production and the government emphasising its efforts to support electric cars by increasing incentives it was a bit of a surprise to hear Bosch announce that petrol and diesel cars will be by far the most dominant vehicles for the next 20 years. They went on to explain that this would be due to planned improvements that are due to take place in the internal combustion engine and as a result of an insufficient understanding of technology which has led to unrealistic forecasts about electric vehicles. Dr Bernd Bohr, chairman of Bosch Automotive group, predicted that Read more »