Auto-News' list of low-CO2 SUVs in Germany

Auto-News' list of low-CO2 SUVs in Germany

Not long ago, we published a list of SUVs available in Germany with the highest mileage possible. But what about - at least on legal terms - how much CO2 a car produces? Never fear. Auto-News has a list of the "cleanest" SUVs on sale in Germany (and I'd say most of the EU), all of them producing less than 200 g/km of CO2, so it complements that previous list which had no information about CO2. Just remember that automakers should have an average of 130 g/km in four years' time.
Most of these models are also available in the U.S. but, as usual, without the high-mileage diesel powerplants Europeans love. The list is after the jump. Vehicles with DPF (Diesel Particulate Filters) have these letters added to the marque and model. The picture above shows the SUV in the 20th position, the SsangYong Actyon 200 Xdi 4x2.

Carmakers dumping the idea of performance hybrids

Last April at the SAE World Congress, participants in a panel discussion on the future of performance powertrains discussed hybrids as one of the best routes to enhancing vehicle performance without increasing emissions or fuel consumption. That approach may still prove to be viable in the future, but it appears increasingly unlikely that automakers will actually promote it that way. When Honda introduced a hybrid version of the Accord a few years ago they actually sold it as a performance enhancement rather than an efficiency booster. The Accord hybrid proved to be a retail failure and most of the Toyota's Lexus hybrids have been relatively weak sellers as well. Rather than promote the Lexus hybrids as a performance upgrade from the conventional models, Toyota is selling them as cleaner, more efficient alternatives to larger engined competitors. Meanwhile Honda is shifting toward diesels for larger vehicles and keeping the hybrid powertrains in smaller vehicles.

Lexus thinks "eco-luxury" makes sense at Sundance

Lexus hybrids are green in name only. The battery power offered by the hybrid drivetrain is used mainly for a power boost instead of making a serious dent in emissions or greatly increasing the mpg ratings of the vehicles. Given that a green image is more important to Lexus than actually going green, it's not surprising that the Project GreenHouse event the company is sponsoring at the Sundance Film Festival in January in Park City, Utah is more style than substance. As the Lexus press release (available after the break) itself says, "Eco-luxury lifestyle options, eco-fashion, and carbon-offset programs highlight this year's initiatives." Eco-luxury? Give me a break. Lexus calls Project Greenhouse, now in its second year, "a unique platform that brings awareness to global environmental issues through a lifestyle event showcasing responsible eco-luxury living." The show will feature a performance by musician John Legend (pictured) and "complimentary rides to the exclusive site in the world's first luxury hybrid vehicles, including the Lexus RX 400h luxury hybrid utility vehicle and the Lexus LS 600h L luxury hybrid sedan." Well, isn't that special?Luckily, not many of us can afford Lexus hybrids because if we all went "green" the way Lexus advocates, the project greenhouse would be the earth's atmosphere. That's not good.

First batch of winners announced in Lexus Environmental Challenge

Earlier this fall, Lexus and Scholastic Books announced an environmental challenge program for middle and high school students. The intent was to inspire them to develop and then implement action plans to help the environment in a series of four challenges. The theme of the first challenge was "Protecting the Land" and teams from fourteen schools have been recognized for their efforts. Among the honored schools were North Mecklenburg High School in Huntersville, NC. They held a fashion show that focused on secondhand clothing and clothes made from organic cotton. They also organized a clothing swap meet to get people to reuse clothes. The Great Neck South Middle School in Great Neck, NY focused on deforestation with nature walks, and tree identification programs. These schools will join winners from the forthcoming two challenges in a final challenge with the winners being announced next Earth Day April 22, 2008.

High-end diesel VS hybrid, Audi A8L takes on the Lexus LS600h

When Lexus decided to take on the top dogs from Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi they took a different path. While the Germans offer the choice of either big gasoline V-12s or turbo-diesel V-8s, Lexus wanted offer the best of both worlds. Thus the LS600h was born. The big LS mates a 5.0L V-8 with the latest version of Toyota's hybrid synergy drive system to produce the most expensive hybrid yet. So, what about performance? AutoExpress decided to pit the LS against an Audi A8L propelled by a 4.2L turbo-diesel V-8 and the Japanese luxo-hybrid came out on the short end of the stick. The Lexus offered it's usual level of silence and refinement but little in the way of character which is the Lexus way. On the fuel economy front the LS may be a hybrid but it's certainly no Prius. It averaged a mere 16.5 mpg (US) while the German competitor achieved 25 mpg (US). With comparable performance and a price difference £20,000 in the Audi's favor, it's no contest.

Toyota and Lexus at the Tokyo Motor Show

Thanks to Lascelles for finding this wonderful video showing the most daring concepts from Toyota and Lexus during the Tokyo Motor Show. Although in German, we can glimpse quite a number of interesting concepts such as the Hi-CT, the Rin, the i-Real (which promises unlimited mobility, according to the engineer) and production ready models such as the Crown Hybrid, which owns a lot to the Lexus LS600h.Just before the Lexus come up, a German engineer from Toyota speaks about the 1/X, weighing just 926 lbs., the car is literally a third of the weight of Toyota's current green car standard, the Prius. Featuring a 500cc engine plus a hybrid electric motor with plug-in capability, this car could deliver 2 l/100 km (that converts to an amazing 117 mpg).Then the video shows two Lexus cars with hybrid powertrains: the ISF (arriving in Europe in 2008) and LF
Lexus likely to get lithium batteries before Prius
With Toyota throwing cold water on the near-term viability of lithium ion battery technology for the Prius, it looks like another brand will be the first to use the new batteries. Mercedes-Benz announced back in September at the Frankfurt Motors Show that they would be using lithium batteries in their mild hybrid vehicles beginning in 2009. Given the added costs of lithium ion batteries and Toyota's efforts to drive down the costs of the Prius, when Toyota finally does add them they will likely appear in a Lexus model first. Toyota is still skeptical of lithium technology and says no company is capable of building a 150,000-mile battery right now. Bill Reinert of Toyota also acknowledged that they have had thermal issues and fires in some test vehicles. After the batteries are established in another vehicle they will migrate to the Prius and other platforms.