The main reason the world’s top auto makers are busy coming up with eco-friendly cars is because European governments and the EU are strengthening their regulations on emissions. (image: Kobizmedia/ Korea Bizwire)
SEOUL, Oct. 4 (Korea Bizwire) – “Environmental friendliness is changing the landscape of the whole automobile industry.” This is what Volkswagen AG chairman Martin Winterkorn said after visiting the Paris Motor Show 2014 on October 2.
Being green has indeed become the most important yardstick by which newly developed cars are judged today. In trade shows, participating car makers now must go to great lengths to explain how little greenhouse gas the car emits.
At the exhibition, French brands such as Renault, Peugeot and Citroën have unveiled their own versions of eco-friendly models. Renault grabbed the attention of the press and the visitors by showing off the EOLAB, a radical plug-in hybrid concept car capable of running 100 kilometers with one liter of gasoline (or 282 miles per gallon).
Peugeot responded with the 208 Hybrid Air 2L concept car while Citroën countering with the C4 Cactus Airflow 2L concept car that can travel up to 100 kilometers with 2 liters of fuel. Volkswagen also unveiled the 50-kilometer-a-liter XL Sport while BMW showcasing its plug-in hybrid “i8″ soon to be sold in Korea and the “X5 eDrive” concept car.
The main reason the world’s top auto makers are busy coming up with eco-friendly cars is because European governments and the EU are strengthening their regulations on emissions.
For example, the EU government will tighten its emissions regulation to 95 grams per kilometer by 2020 from 130 grams per kilometer in 2015. Volkswagen, for example, is spending more than 1 billion euros in research and development in order to comply with the standard.
By M.H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
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