On a green drive

April 22 is Earth Day. Simply observing it isn't enough. Be a part of the green movement by going in for an environment-friendly vehicle.

Over the years, we have experienced how unpredictable the climate has become. Summers are hotter, when it rains — it pours, and winters are, to put it mildly, bizarre.

Carbon dioxide, nitrous oxides, water vapour, and methane — trap the sun's heat and light in the earth's atmosphere, causing temperatures to soar. There are other contributors to this damage but we'd have to admit, albeit grudgingly that automobiles are to blame too, despite their unquestionable utility value and the fact that we can't live without them. So what's the solution?

Well, governments, automobile manufacturers and researchers are already striving to make our vehicles green. Air pollution legislations are getting stringent, there is an increased focus on green fuels and green cars, and the idea of cars that emit water as the only emission does not appear far-fetched now. Manufacturers are also working to produce cars in the most energy efficient manner possible.

As motorists, we need to get our act together and be part of the solution. The time is ripe for a green revolution on wheels. If you're looking to buy a green car, we've compiled a list of cars to make that decision easier. You'd be surprised by the many green car options. We have omitted a few since it runs too long.

April 22 is Earth Day. Simply observing it isn't enough anymore. It's time for action.

Hyundai i10 CNG

Hyundai wants to make its i10 appeal to as many buyers as possible, eco-conscious customers being part of that list. Little wonder why a CNG kit is offered as an option on the car. The CNG kit adds Rs. 55,000 to the price of the petrol model that starts at Rs. 3.54 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). Buyers will like its city-friendly dimensions and cheerful interiors. Good fuel economy in petrol mode and low running costs in CNG mode make the i10 CNG an excellent eco-friendly buy.

Maruti Suzuki Alto Green

The Alto Green is the CNG variant of the hugely successful Alto. The hatchback features Maruti's intelligent-Gas Port injection (i-GPi) technology that promises more power and better fuel efficiency than retro-fitted CNG kits. The Alto Green is powered by a 796cc engine that produces 38.8bhp in CNG mode. Extremely low running costs make this a great buy for those on a tight budget. The Alto Green is available from Rs. 2.78 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

Toyota Innova CNG

Toyota's ever-popular Innova can now be had with a CNG kit. Offered as an optional on the 2-litre petrol eight-seater model, the CNG kit adds Rs. 1 lakh to the base price of Rs. 8.95 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). The 12kg CNG cylinder tank is housed behind the third row seats and this limits luggage space. However, if a large, good quality and inexpensive-to-run people-carrier is what you need, the Innova CNG is the answer. At present, the Innova CNG is only available in Mumbai and Delhi-NCR region.

Chevrolet Beat LPG

Here's one way to beat rising petrol prices. Chevrolet has recently launched the LPG version of the Beat hatchback. Powered by a 1.2-litre Smartech engine, the Beat LPG comes with a 28-litre LPG cylinder in addition to its 35-litre petrol tank. Chevrolet claims this Beat can cover 349km on one tank of LPG, and with combined fuel usage, it can stretch its legs till 1,000km. Prices start at Rs. 4.11 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

Tata Indica eV2 LPG

Tata Motors has recently updated the Indica hatchback, now called the Indica eV2. Mild exterior and interior tweaks have revamped this decade-old car. The Indica continues to sell with an LPG option. Power is courtesy a 1.2-litre engine that develops 61.8bhp. The Indica eV2 LPG is a high-value product being big on space and low on price. It sells for Rs. 3.3 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

Mahindra Scorpio micro hybrid

Mahindra's flagship SUV has made it to our green list thanks to its innovative Start/Stop technology. The engine cuts off when the car is idling. Sadly, this switches the AC off as well, leaving only the blower on. A handy switch de-activates the system for those hot summer days. Big and green, the Scorpio Hybrid is available Rs. 10.36 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) and upwards.

Toyota Prius

The Prius is that dollop of salad you take onto the plate after gorging on all those fried starters. Arguably the world's most famous hybrid, the Prius might just be that evolutionary pivot Darwin was harping about. Its electric motor works at crawling speeds and keeps emissions to a minimum. And 136bhp from its petrol engine means it is not found wanting for power. An ideal green car. Pity it costs an exorbitant Rs. 27 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

Mahindra REVA i

The Mahindra REVA i is the sole electric vehicle sold in India. Zero emissions make it the greenest car here. While the styling may not appeal to all, it can be called cute. The i comes with a lead acid battery which the company claims gives it a range of 80km per charge. A simple wall socket is needed to juice up the battery that takes 2.5 hours for an 85 per cent charge with a full charge taking eight hours. Pricing starts at Rs. 2.85 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). It's worth noting that the all-new Reva NXR and NXG cars with more powerful batteries are being readied for launch.

Toyota moves ahead on hydrogen cell car

TOYOTA Motor Corp said on Friday it has developed an advanced fuel- cell vehicle that can run for 830 km (516 miles) on a single tank of hydrogen and in temperatures as low as 30 degrees Celsius below freezing (- 22 F).

The zero- emission FCHV- adv will be leased to government agencies, among other possible users in Japan starting later this year, a spokes woman said. The new version of the fuel- cell car, which runs on hydrogen and emits only water, increased fuel efficiency by 25 percent with an improved fuel cell unit and other changes to its brake system and elsewhere.

Combined with a slightly bigger fuel tank and a doubling of the maximum storage pressure, the FCHV- adv extended the cruising range from the previous FCHV’s 330 km (205 miles), Toyota said in a statement. It has a maximum speed of 155 km per hour (97 mph). Fuel- cell vehicles are widely considered the ultimate longer- term alternative to today’s conventional cars as they run on an inexhaustible and cheaper source of fuel —hydrogen —have no harmful tailpipe emissions and do not compromise driving performance.

The main hurdles for their proliferation are alack of fuelling stations and the high cost of development. Toyota president Katsuaki Watanabe had said previously that it will take years to make eco- friendly cars running on fuel cells commercially viable. Besides the hefty price, motorists would also need an infrastructure of hydrogen filling stations if they are to take the cars on the road.

Toyota and domestic rival Honda Motor Co became the world’s first two automakers to put a fuel- cell vehicle on the road in December 2002, and have since been in a tight race to prepare them for mass- commercialization. Honda’s latest FCX Clarity, a sporty- looking fuel- cell sedan, can run 620 km (385 miles) on a single fuelling as measured under Japan’s fuel efficiency test method. It can go as fast as 160 km per hour (99 mph), uses a lithium- ion battery and can withstand temperatures from -30 to 95 degrees Celsius (- 22F to 203F).

Honda plans to begin leasing the car in the United States starting next month and in Japan later this year. It is targeting lease sales of about 200 FCX Clarity cars in the first three years in the two countries combined. Toyota’s FCHV- adv, which uses a nickel- metal hydride battery, will be showcased as a test- ride vehicle at the Group of 8rich nations’ summit in Toyako, northern Japan, next month. It will also provide more than 70 hybrid cars and hydrogen fuelled buses for use by shuttle participants.

Japanese companies have been working to create a viable zero- emission car running on fuel cells, which produce electricity through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, leaving water as the only by- product. Toyota’s system was enhanced to further improve cruising distance and low- temperature starts, which had presented obstacles to widespread fuel cell vehicle use, the company said in a statement.

Toyota engineers managed to control the amount of water produced inside the fuel- cell system, which previously interfered with electrical generation at low temperatures. Fuel efficiency was also improved, the automaker said. Toyota said it would continue to strive to improve the durability and reduce the cost of fuel cell vehicles to bring about their widespread use.

Toyota was a pioneer of petrol- electric hybrid cars which are attracting growing interest at a time of soaring oil prices and increasing concerns about global warming. The International Energy Agency estimated today that nearly a billion electric or fuel cell vehicles may need to be put on the road as part of an energy technology revolution to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.