17/06/08

Electric limousines and zero-emission taxis

Here are Lotus Engineering's plans

The Engineering Division of Lotus, a former British brand now acquired by the Malay holding Proton, is gearing up research on environmentally friendly cars. A call promoted by the Department of Technological Strategies of the British Government makes 23 million out of a total 52 million pounds available for sustainable mobility oriented projects, drawn also by private businesses.

The first target is to design and make a zero-emission taxi for the London roads: the project is carried on by a consortium of businesses headed by Lotus which is testing a fuel cell system assisted by a hybrid module.

The first vehicles, however, will be available in London by 2012, in other British cities two years later. The Lotus plans also include an eco-limousine, built on a Jaguar design, which will be equipped with an electric motor, batteries and an auxiliary unit assisting the combustion engine at cruising speed. The target is to reduce CO₂ emissions below 120 g/km, a minimum threshold for big-sized vehicles.