Can't afford to own a green car? Hire one instead!

The fast-expanding, pay-by-the-hour car club already operates in 10 cities in the UK including London and Brighton, and Revolve is proud to promote WhizzGo’s services, especially as it provides a greener drive for its customers. WhizzGo has kindly agreed to chauffeur our celebrities and provide logistical support for our rally and fringe events. Look out for their low-emission cars which will be accompanying the rally on 05.06.07.

Spread the word and you could drive for free! WhizzGo will credit both your account and your friend's account with £10 for each and every friend you recommend who joins WhizzGo. Find out more about WhizzGo at www.whizzgo.co.uk

Greenfleet: Specialists in “Eco-Driving” at Revolve 05.06.07

Revolve is drawing on the expertise of GreenFleet to ensure that you get the most out of World Environment Day at Trafalgar Square. Hydrogen fuel cell cars may be out of our reach for the time being, but GreenFleet can help you make the right choices, lower your carbon-footprint and save money now.

In association with the Institute of Advanced Motorists, GreenFleet will be at Trafalgar Square from 9.00am until 5.30pm, presenting information on how to save fuel through defensive driving techniques on the big screen. Click on the banner below for a flavour of what they do.

Four Wheels Good, Three Wheels Better?

Apparently, we tend to under-estimate our car journeys. Experts suggest adding 20 -25% onto the time we think it'll take. This makes sense because a recent study carried out on behalf of the BBC revealed that Brits are actually spending on average 20 minutes longer in getting to work than they did 10 years ago.

Conceived as a more rational commuter vehicle, could Vandenbrink's Carver One finally exorcise the demons of three-wheeled mobility and seduce us away from the idea that bigger is better . At present the Carver One, is petrol-powered with a claimed fuel-consumption figure of 45mpg. Vandenbrink state that they are willing to consider a fuel cell option as soon as they feel the technology is ready.

If you're not ready to swap your people-carrier just yet, consider joining a car-sharing scheme.

How clean is your neighbourhood?
What effect is all this congestion having on air quality? The London Air Quality Network provides a dynamic map showing the latest pollution levels as recorded at pollution monitoring sites across Greater London. Enter your postcode to check your own neighbourhood.

Richard Hammond, LPG and Jet-Cars

Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond has had a serious accident whilst attempting to break the UK land-speed record in a jet-powered dragster.

Former Top Gear presenter, Steve Berry said of the accident: "He is incredibly lucky to be alive ... this isn't a car, it's more like a wingless aeroplane". The machine is capable of accelerating from 0-270 mph in just 6 seconds and was travelling at +/-300mph when it suddenly veered off the track and somersaulted.

The 'Programme Prevention Department'
Ironically one of Hammond's co-presenters, Jeremy Clarkson, has regularly been outspoken about his dislike of 'Health & Safety', calling it "the cancer of a civilised society" (Sunday Times article). The HSE is currently investigating Richard Hammond's accident. Interestingly, the crash was discussed on BBC's Question Time after someone asked the question: "has reality TV gone too far?" Watch the podcast here.

"He has brought an awful lot to [Top Gear] and his indefatigable energy, the fact that he tries absolutely anything once, may have been the reason that he has overstepped the mark a bit."
- Quentin Wilson talking to the BBC


Out of respect for his family's wishes, all we know is that Hammond sustained a significant brain injury, but doctors are "reasonably optimistic that he'll make a good recovery."

Whilst the Vampire jet car consumes 7-10 gallons of fuel per mile, Richard Hammond's family car is an eleven-year-old Range Rover Vogue SE with a thirsty 3.9-litre V8 engine. Luckily (and somewhat surprisingly given his co-presenter's environmentally unfriendly stance, Hammond's Range Rover is actually LPG-powered!. We wish him a speedy recovery.

Why Not One Hundred MPG?

As read in Popular Mechanics:

"...It became fashionable to drive SUVs because they projected an image of power and an active lifestyle. It's possible to imagine drivers being drawn to the environmental and national security benefits of efficiency--and to the cutting-edge engineering, as well.

So perhaps people have been asking the wrong question all along. It's not, "Why can't they build a 100-mpg car?" but rather, "Do we really want one?”

Small is Beautiful

It's not just UK motorists who are feeling the petroleum-pinch. Automotive News reports that US imports are now out-selling domestic brands for the first time. The most popular imports include manufacturers of small, fuel-efficient cars like Toyota, Suzuki and Volkswagen. In Australia, local V6 muscle-cars are also being outsold by more economical four-cylinder imports for the first time. South Africans meanwhile, have just seen the price of petrol at their local pump rise for the sixth time this year. Of course, small cars don't necessarily have to be sensible... Car Magazine South Africa reports that Audi's next mini(rival)car will be based on their recent Shooting Brake concept (pic) and will be less expensive than their current A2.