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The Hawksworth's June Diary - Green Cars

"Green" Cars ....
No not the colour ....
More what's under your bonnet and how eco friendly is that motor car?!

This is where you could do with a nice bit of musical background on the webpage .... Bit of Fleetwood Mac perhaps or the old Formula One theme tune.

With most cars nowadays they are purchased on:

• Usability - What you are going to use it for,
• Price,
• Looks! (Street Cred for the kids!)
• Comfort, etc.

Running it and it's effects on the environment never seem to top that wish list.  Let's face it, to most it seems, if its economical - it's too small, quirky, or can be downright ugly.  And normally if Dad's involved in the choice it also has to have a bit of grunt!

So our task this month was to highlight the technology and choice available that go in hand with being a little more eco friendly when it comes to using the car!

VT Day (Video Tape to you and me!)

Myself, Sally from the Beeb, a cameraman and ex Top Gear's Quentin Wilson met up to try out Toyota's Hybrid, the Prius at Prestwold Hall just outside of Loughborough.

So what's the technology you petrol heads or the inquisitives amongst you ask?

Quite simply these cars have electrical motors within the vehicle as well as the standard petrol engines, in effect it charges itself up during normal driving and this energy is used when appropriate... i.e. starting off and up to around 30mph etc around town.

The Petrol engine engages when needed to add a little more power or should the electrics need to recharge.

So, what's it like to drive these things? ...  Slightly weird as there is hardly any sound when electrically powered!  Apart, like any other car!

With Quentin driving, we did a few laps and covered the technology of hybrid motors, their economical features and also spoke of a few celebrities who had one, etc.  And then I got to drive and put it through its paces... thinking I was "the Stig!"

Quentin Wilson - nice bloke, much taller than you would expect, and a genuinely nice character.  I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of meeting and working with him.

Live Day - Friday 22nd June, Donington Park Racing Circuit

Live day, being MotoGP weekend the circuit was very busy, so we all turned up at 05:45 at the Museum.   The children, although somewhat sleepy eyed, were still ready for a bit of excitement.

Carol Hawksworth with Declan from the BBC   What a fantastic backdrop, as well as a selection of the varying developments of eco cars we also had old Formula 1 cars and motorcycles.

We had electric powered, bio fuel, hybrid, new technology diesel engines, even a Hydrogen powered car.  (Now that one was quite entertaining, as cannot be kept inside due to the fuel escaping and being quite dangerous it seems... at one time the guy looking after it brought it in a little for the filming - he then gets a phonecall asking him to take it back outside!  We had pictures in our minds of him driving around in a bomb!)

Each of these cars had their own merits:

• the hybrid's - we have yet to see an MPV version for a family such as ours,
• the bio fuel - has a smell of it's own, car's can be converted to use this, but early days and yet to be seen if eco friendly due to the production methods?
• Electric - too small, in its infancy of development still.
• As with the Hydrogen technology ... early days and fuel storage has transportation issues due to its volatility.

The new diesel technology is already available and proven, so at present our choice over our current vehicles.

We have tested a few variations and looking to swap our current cars to more eco friendly and much more economical versions.  As a family we have reduced our mileage, and now look at the emissions of our current cars and the differences we can make should we replace them.

Renault are assisting us and, indeed, supporting us in helping to reduce this part of our Carbon Footprint.  We are looking, not only at reducing our CO2 outputs, but also when we replace the vehicles we are retaining the outline of what we currently use.

In effect by just upgrading to a newer more effective product we can gain around a 25% decrease... and save money on fuel costs!

So the Galaxy is getting old and is in need of replacement, and we will be sad to see Carol's MGF go as soooo much fun to drive and it was her very first car!  But heyho!  Let's go - here are those important figures.

CO2 ratings are the grammes of CO2 per kilometre your car produces.  If you look at http://www.whatgreencar.com/ you can do your own sums.  And all new cars show these figures within their specifications.

Alex, Fraser and Jacob enjoy the F1 cars Anyway, the children got to sit in a variety of old F1 cars Fraser and Jacob both wanting to sit in an old Ferrari, Olivia in a Tyrell and Alex enjoying the Jordan!

Myself and Carol enjoyed looking at the older cars and reading about the drivers, etc. (Fantastic day out around the Museum by the way - seems very overlooked - but fun and interesting for adults as well as the kids!)

This was a great experience for us during the broadcasts, the Donington Park staff and Simon Gillett, the new owner, made us feel very welcome and I think also enjoyed the experience.

I did take my motorcycle up as we intended to do an out shot of Declan and myself riding off for a lap - but the weather - yes raining again! Put pay to that.

Now we were really surprised at the differences that can be attained by just looking at our own transport !  So, perhaps when looking at purchasing a car in the future - that "green car" tick box should be added to your wish list!

Next Broadcast July 17th - Woolacombe Bay in Devon!

Links

Follow this link to the BBC webpage and view a short video of the June BBC Breakfast broadcast 

http://www.donington-park.co.uk/

http://www.whatgreencar.com/

http://www.renault.co.uk/

I have set up a temporary email address for those wishing to seek any further advice or submit useful ideas - please feel to contact us HFM@ntlworld.com

Paul & "The Hawksworth's"

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