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South Africa

South Africa

Moving Automotive

By NICOLA CIRILLI

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Low Emissions for Happiness

Respecting the environment is increasingly becoming a priority for both manufacturers and customers, and it is a major trend that makes a significant impact on purchasing criteria and consumer preferences. Customers are demanding more efficient, eco-friendly and economical vehicles without renouncing style, technology and the pleasure of driving.

We are witnessing a rising demand for compact cars complete with technological and high-quality features that, up until today, have been a prerogative of cars belonging to higher segments. The automotive industry has been investing resources for many years, and undertakes to reduce the environmental impact of its products by setting targets more and more ambitious. It can stem only from combining traditional and alternative technologies, the effectiveness of which also depends on the context in which they are placed and on the market's ability to accept them.

Fiat is therefore committed to:

• Improving efficiency and reducing the emissions of its petrol and diesel engines • Developing use of alternative fuels (methane, LPG, bio-fuels) • Actively involving customers in reducing emissions when they use the vehicles

MULTIAIR TECHNOLOGY

A new generation of petrol engines is born with the MultiAir technology conceived, developed and patented by Fiat Powertrain Technologies. This marks clear progress in the fields of savings and respect for the environment, able to guarantee lower fuel consumption and 10% less CO2 emissions, while at the same time increasing maximum power 10%. Fiat has been the European leader in the field of methane-powered vehicles for more than ten years. Methane, the cleanest fuel available today and the only true alternative to petrol and diesel:

• Guarantees minimum toxic emissions, from particulate to aromatic compounds such as benzene • Also reduces the emissions most critical for air quality to a minimum • Reduces CO2 emissions 23% compared to petrol operation • Has a potential as a renewable source through bio-methane

ECO:DRIVE

The offer of dual fuel supply made by the Fiat group makes it possible to combine the ease of petrol refueling with the advantages of methane to provide a comfortable solution also in those areas where methane filling stations are harder to find. In this way methane does not represent an unavoidable restriction for the customer, but instead an opportunity to reduce costs and CO2 emissions. The eco:Drive program was created for this reason. Its purpose is to educate drivers in adopting a more respon-

01 Fiat Panda, light blue 02 Fiat Grande Punto

Courtesy of Fiat Group Automobiles

sible, efficient and eco-friendly driving style. Through eco:Drive, the car and PC communicate through the USB port of the Fiat Blue&Me system. While driving, eco:Drive collects information on the driver's behavior and on the efficiency of the vehicle. The data are transferred to the PC using a normal flash drive, to then be processed by the system that condenses them in the eco: Index, the environmental quality of driving behavior indicator. eco:Drive Fleet helps Fleet Managers and drivers to improve fuel consumption and reduce CO2 emissions. It is an instrument that helps to reach business and social responsibility objectives and can cut fuel costs by up to 15%. •

Downsizing and Reducing

Downsizing and alternative drive systems constitute an increasingly large topic of public discussion. Companies are more frequently opting for environmentally friendly vehicles for their fleets.

By MARTIN JAHN

By KASPAR HAFFNER

Ford Moves Towards Green Standards

With an increased demand to produce greener products, the willingness to be good, and an urgent need for customers to adapt to road regulations, Ford is debuting a new series of cars that cut down on CO2 emissions without reducing the pleasure of driving.

Ford has just launched the new Transit van with new engines and new power trains, reaching the Euro stage 5 regulations, meaning increased performance and a decrease of emissions.

THE C-MAX

C-max is a multipurpose vehicle. You can have it with sliding doors; it offers you a lot of room and great driving experience. It’s fun to drive. You can have it as a plug-in hybrid or a full hybrid. Cmax has two engines—an electric engine and a petrol engine and batteries. The car will automatically choose the most fuel-efficient way to drive.

FOCUS ELECTRIC

Another option is the Focus Electric, which will be launched in Europe next year, consisting of a fully battery electric vehicle that can be plugged in at night and used to drive to work in the morning, all on electric, this means the vehicle is emission-free.

DOWNSIZING

The third development Ford is really working on at the moment is what is called downsizing, meaning taking the existing combustion engine and making it more and more efficient. In other words, cars will use less fuel and take more performance out of every drop. Early next year, we will launch the Ford Focus with three-cylinders, one-liter engine, which will have the performance of a normal four-cylinder, 1.4-litre engine, but which will use less fuel and have less CO2 emissions. This is a new engine we have constructed and engineered; it's an absolutely new development.

Many companies know their fleet should not emit more than 160 or 140 grams of CO2 per kilometer. There's awareness of that topic and Ford tries to meet the requirements of fleet customers by delivering them cars which fill those requirements.

Volkswagen Group is very well prepared concerning this matter. With the downsizing of internal combustion engines together with forced induction engines, the Group represents the pinnacle of technology. With technology such as the start/stop system and regenerative braking, low rolling resistance tires and an aerodynamically perfected design as standard, we're talking about values such as 4.2 liters per 100 kilometers and a CO2 value of 109 g/km for the Passat Limousine as well as those of the industry leading Golf with 3.8 liters per 100 kilometers and a CO2 value of 99g/km.

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Toyota US Committed to the Future

The U.S. Toyota's approach and commitment to more sustainable products is reflected in their fleet offerings, which include fuelefficient, low-emission hybrids and, starting in 2012, plug-in hybrids (Prius PHEV) as well as vehicles such as the Scion iQ EV, an urban, commuter battery-electric vehicle, and the Rav 4 EV, the pure electric version of the company's popular small SUV, with a real-world driving range of approximately 100 miles from a full battery charge

03 Toyota ScionIQ

Courtesy of Toyota Motor Corporation

04 Volkswagen Crafter, blue motion technology Courtesy of Volkswagen Group

REUSING

On the other hand, used cars are not such a big topic for fleet customers, because Ford sells new cars. Fleet customers drive them for some years and then they replace the fleet after two, three or four years—those cars will, however, come back to the market as used cars and are bought by private citizens through the Ford network of authorized dealers. Reusing allows us to notably reduce the amount of waste we create; cars coming from fleets get thrown back into the market, materials are often reused. After all, those cars have been used only three or four years, it would be such a waste to throw them away! •

The range is also available to customers in larger vehicles over 5.0 tons. For example, with the Crafter 2.0 TDI with 161 bhp and 400 newton meters of torque. With Blue Motion technology the vehicle uses as little as 7.2 liters of diesel per 100 kilometers.•

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