Vauxhall release new eco friendly Zafria

• Feb. 23 by Andrew Nichol (2)

Vauxhall are to release a new car in their Zafira range which will produce lower carbon emissions. (http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Resources/Daily-news/Cleaner-Vehicles/Vauxhall-launches-eco-friendly-model)

The new car will have carbon emissions of 139g/km. It will also reduce fuel consumption with the vehicle able to do 53.3 miles per gallon. The Zafira Ecoflex has a 1.7 litre advanced diesel engine which will provide the seven seater vehicle with acceleration of 0-60mph in 12.6 seconds with a top speed of 112mph. (http://www. vauxhall.co.uk/vaux/pages/cars/vehicleRange/Zafira/index.jsp)  

Reducing car emissions is something that car manufacturers are now trying to do as they look to protect the environment. Car emissions are how much carbon dioxide cars release into the air while they are in use. A high carbon emission car would release above 200 g/km, however a more eco friendly car would release about 100g/km. So the new Vauxhall is within a good range and is very eco friendly.

Jaguar, a firm based in the Birmingham area, tends to produce cars with high emissions. Their S Type cars have emissions as high as 294 g/km. Generally, it is bigger cars such as Jaguars that are the worst offenders. Ferrari though, are the worst, with their 599 GTB Fiorano giving out 490 g/km. (http://www.whatprice.co.uk/car/ carbon-emissions.html)

Another contributor to carbon emissions is the place these cars do their business, the roads. The M25 motorway is proposing in the future to develop 63 miles of its motorway and increase it from six lanes to eight lanes. (http://www.thisislondon.co.uk /standard/article-23575172 details/Turmoil+could+stall+5bn+scheme+to+widen+the+ M25/article.do) This will take place between junctions 5 and 6 and junctions 16-23. Not only will this cost five billion pounds in a time of financial crisis for this country but more importantly it will increase carbon emissions for that stretch of road by about 135,000 tonnes per year. While increasing motorway lanes is designed to reduce traffic congestion and make things easier for road users we must remember that it also increases carbon emissions. (http://www.bettertransport.org.uk/system/files /Better_Transport_comments_on_M25_junctions_16-23_Environmental Statement. pdf)

The main problem here is still the amount of carbon emissions that cars give out. In February 2007 the EU Environment Commissioner Dimas proposed a mandatory reduction of CO2 emissions. In this reduction it said all new cars should aim to have emissions of 130 g/km by 2012. If this could be achieved, and there is no reason why it can’t be, as there are already plenty of cars on the market at or under 130g/km, such as the new Vauxhall Zafria, then there will be a big difference in the amount of pollution our cars are letting into the atmosphere. (http://www.motoring.co.za/index .php?fArticleId =3669316)

By Andrew Nichol