Rising oil prices and global environmental concerns have led to a "green revolution" sweeping the global auto industry. Tanmoy Mitra reports

The future looks green for new-age automobiles, which are getting more eco friendly. Global awareness to climate change, coupled with rising oil prices have led to a shift in consumer preferences and, in turn, forced automakers worldwide to implement radical changes to future generation cars.

Safer and viable options such as fuel cell engines, bio fuels, and hybrid electric cars with lower to zero emissions are all set to replace the 150-year-old combustion engine technology. The next-generation of cars also promises to be lighter in weight with the introduction of composite materials and light metals such as steel, aluminium and magnesium to ultra-light synthetic polymers, carbon fibres and plastics, allowing lower fuel consumption and overall improved performance.

Reduced body weight will allow auto manufacturers to use lighter drivetrain components such as the engine, transmission, and driveshafts. Thus a smaller engine will consume less energy compared to a conventional one and can be used to propel the whole vehicle without loss of performance. The decrease in fuel consumption will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Demanding situation
Private-car ownership has increased steadily with rising incomes, particularly in emerging markets such as China and India. With more cars on the road, there is a greater volume of auto emissions, which is a serious threat to the environment. With combustion engine technology, harmful carbon emissions are released from car tail pipes, which are believed to be the main factor behind the rise in global temperatures and cause of acid rain.

Transportation accounts for almost half of global oil consumption and according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), global oil consumption is expected to rise by 1.6 million barrels per day (bbl/d) in both 2008 and 2009 compared with the estimated 1 million bbl/d increase recorded last year. Oil reserves will find it hard to keep up with the rising demand, and annual production will fall short of consumption in a few decades, causing the price of oil to skyrocket, experts predict.

A conscious effort is being made to reduce dependence on petroleum and its by-products.

A fresh outlook
Legislation to reduce automobile pollution is being strengthened in several European countries and the US Congress is working on a major initiative on stricter fuel-efficiency standards that would require automakers to introduce a 4-per cent improvement in fuel economy every year beginning from 2011. The proposal envisages vehicles to yield an average 35 miles per gallon by 2020. (See: US auto industry wants proposed fuel consumption standards diluted)

Various countries are also planning a compulsory fee on vehicles depending on their size, emission, efficiency, fuel option and environmental friendliness and rebates on eco friendly cars. Even the world's richest economy, the US, is concerned about energy security and is working its towards energy efficiency and "green" substitutes for petroleum fuels.

The Swedish government intends to replace all fossil fuels with renewable alternative like ethanol, which the country produces from forest waste. Sweden aims to achieve a complete oil-free economy by 2020. In Brazil over 50 per cent cars are flexible fuel vehicles (FFV), which can run on varying combinations of ethanol and petrol. The country plans to free itself from oil imports by the end of 2009.

The Indian green auto revolution
India is going through its own auto revolution with various car companies working vigorously on alternative fuel engines. Maruti Suzuki, the market leader in the country has recently launched a Wagon R version that comes fitted with LPG kit, also known as autogas, which reduces CO2 emissions by 20 per cent compared to petrol.

With the demand for hybrid cars picking up in the global market, major Indian automakers, including Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Motors, Hyundai and Ford India are planning to launch their fleet of green vehicles. In fact Mahindra and Mahindra has already announced plans to market its hybrid sport utility vehicles (SUVs) in the United States. (See: Mahindra & Mahindra to sell hybrid Scorpios in US; set up engine venture in India with Navistar) 

India's Advantage
The government of India has been encouraging the expansion of the auto industry with the rising demand from the country's prospering middle class. Foreign automakers have set up fully owned subsidiaries in India as the Indian government allows 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in the auto sector, giving the country an edge over China, which mandates tie-ups with local joint venture partners.  

The government has also facilitated foreign investment in its bid to attract at least $35 billion in investments by 2016. It also plans to lower taxes, especially for companies exporting and manufacturing small cars.

India offers a large auto market with rising sales. Passenger car sales in India for 2006-07 stood at 1.37 million (1,379,698), up from 1.14 million (1,143,076) in 2005-06, a growth of 20.70 per cent, according to industry body, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM). In 2006, India overtook Korea to become the third largest auto market in Asia-Pacific, behind China and Japan. The country is projected to be the third largest car market in the world by 2030.

Tapping "green" sources would also create employment in the growing semi urban areas besides being environment-friendly. Labour costs in India are just 8-9 per cent of sales as compared to 30-35 per cent in developed countries. While a similar benefit exists in other Asian countries, India's relatively young workforce has a clear advantage, sparing car companies of high medical cost and less absentees from work

Green technologies

Fuel Cell
A fuel cell is an electrochemical energy conversion device, which produces electricity from various external quantities of fuel. Fuel cell vehicles are expected to achieve energy efficiencies of more than 45 per cent. Such a significant improvement in energy efficiency will lead to a substantial reduction in greenhouse emissions from vehicles and also provide higher mileage in the long run. The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and Banaras Hindu University (BHU) have been actively researching on fuel cells and their viability in India

Hybrids
Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV) or a hybrid combines two or more sources of power to propel the vehicle. A typical hybrid is a combination of fuel power and electricity and run on gasoline and rechargeable batteries. The hybrid vehicle achieves greater fuel economy and lower emissions than conventional internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs), resulting in lower emissions being generated, thus reducing the smog-forming pollutants in the atmosphere.

Examples of hybrid vehicles already on the roads are:

Ford Escape Hybrid SUV: With a gasoline engine, electric motor and a battery pack, the Escape Hybrid SUV offers low environmental impact and great fuel efficiency, maintaining the sporty great looks of a traditional SUV too.

Toyota Prius: A hybrid electronic model from Toyota Motors that can run on gasoline and electric power. The Prius is certified as 'advanced technology partial zero emission vehicle' (AT-PZEV) ansd also boasts nearly 70 per cent lower smog-forming emissions than the average new vehicle.

Other major automakers including Chevrolet, Mercedes and BMW have also launched hybrid cars in the market.

Electric cars
An electric car is a battery-operated vehicle, powered by an electric motor. It produces no tailpipe emissions, and minimal pollution if charged from most forms of renewable energy from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain and geothermal heat. Energy stored in rechargeable battery packs, and electric motors and motor controllers is used to propel the car.

G-Wiz: India's first battery electric vehicle, made by Reva Electric Car Company, G-Wiz is the best selling electric car in the UK. It uses just one quarter as much energy as a similar size small car with an internal combustion engine.

Nice Mega City: The Mega City is an electric car with no exhaust and zero emissions. The high torque electric motor accelerates the MEGA City quickly to a top speed of 40 mph and has a range of up to 50 miles
 
Bio Fuels
Bio fuels are renewable liquid fuels made from biological matters such as plants and animal fats. Ethanol, methanol and bio diesel are a few types of bio fuels used as transportation fuels. Biofuels help reduce air toxics emissions and greenhouse gas buildup. A bio fuel tank will give fewer kilometers per litre compared to a gasoline engine. Yet it will have a low environmental impact, with low emissions, and a minimal impact on the physical surroundings.

Ethanol: Ethanol is a bio fuel extracted from grain and corn, which is combined with petrol and used in transportation fuel. Ethanol cuts poisonous gas emissions and produces fewer greenhouse gases that cause global climate change.

Biodiesel: Biodiesel is a type of bio fuel made by combining animal or vegetable oil with alcohol and directly substituted for diesel as a stand-alone fuel or be used as an additive.