Going green on the road

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: The verdict is out: green vehicles are in. If recent auto shows are anything to go by, the global automobile industry is experiencing a green revolution as they showcase sleeker and fancier environment friendly models. Worldwide, people are switching to low-emission vehicles and hybrid engines, and these are practical too, as eco-sensitive drivers are finding out.

However, even as automakers worldwide focus a lot of energy on green vehicles, India still does not have an invitation to the hybrid party. But that is not dissuading the auto majors. The pioneers of green vehicles, Toyota and Honda, have been showcasing the hybrid Prius and the FCX concept fuel car respectively at the recent International Engineering Trade Fair in the Capital recently. Toyota, which has a joint venture with the Kirloskars, is reportedly testing the Prius at the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) facility for a possible launch of the dual fuel-powered car.

Closer home, Mahindra and Mahindra is gearing up to launch the hybrid version of its popular SUV Scorpio. For M&M vice-president, product development Arun Jaura, hybrid vehicles have a good potential in India as the traffic patterns — rapid growth of automobile sector, growing need for energy security and environmental friendliness —align India in an advantageous position for such vehicle technologies. “We are looking at both a full hybrid version as well as a mild hybrid version, and we hope to be ready by the second half of 2008. Currently, we are undertaking internal tests after which it will be ready for the ARAI regulation tests,” he says.

So what are these hybrid vehicles? A hybrid vehicle uses two power sources, an on-board rechargeable battery and a fuel power source. They combine the features of the internal combustion engine with an electric motor and can improve fuel efficiency without sacrificing performance or driving range. The engine provides most of the power, and the electric motor provides additional power, when needed. The electric power for the motor is generated from regenerative braking and from the petrol engine.

What makes these vehicles so eco-friendly is that hybrid engines, which derive their power from an electric motor and gas-power transmission, produce less carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrates. Diesel engines, on the other hand, produce less CO2 emissions, but contribute more nitrates, which are harmful to the environment.