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Carmakers race to make ‘viable, clean and super-efficient’ designs
28th March 2008
Fast and sexy wheels are rolling over public perception of eco-friendly cars as slow, clunky and ugly
Last week was a big one for green cars: The Tesla Roadster – a zero-emissions sports car – finally started rolling off production lines in the U.S. BMW announced that it is considering launching its own battery-powered car; the company is already working jointly with Mercedes to develop high-end hybrids to rival the Toyota Prius. And at the New York International Auto Show a new prize was announced – the Automotive X Prize, a $10-million cash award for anyone who can “design viable, clean and super-efficient cars that people want to buy” (the operative word there being “want”).
It’s no secret that carmakers have long been hostile to the idea of producing environmentally friendlier vehicles. But the green trend is (ahem) accelerating: The Toyota Prius is 10 years old, “hydrogen highways” are being built around the world (including in B.C.) and sports cars – some of the worst offenders – are also being brought on board.
With a $100,000 price tag, the Tesla isn’t the transport solution for everyone. But with a sexy design and the ability to go from zero to 100 kilometres per hour in less than five seconds, it is rolling over public perception of eco-friendly cars as slow, clunky and ugly. So, hopefully, where high-end products go, mainstream fare will follow. It seems to be working: Every single Tesla to be built in 2008 has already been sold, and gear heads will now have to wait to reserve a 2009 model – 900 cars have been booked in total.
Published in The Green Report in The Globe and Mail
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