Green Lib Dems push new technology to tackle town centre air pollution (Eastleigh Liberal Democrats)

Eastleigh Liberal Democrats <enquiries@eastleighlibdems.org.uk>

Green Lib Dems push new technology to tackle town centre air pollution

April 29, 2005 12:08 PM

Chris Huhne shows Cllr Louise Bloom his new green car Liberal Democrat Chris Huhne has been giving test drives in Eastleigh town centre in his new environmentally-friendly car, which he says is part of the answer to local pollution problems.

"This new hybrid technology is an important breakthrough for a community that relies on cars as much as ours in Eastleigh" said Chris.

Chris showed Louise Bloom, the executive member for the environment on the borough council, how the new Toyota Prius operates on both electric and petrol engines to cut fuel consumption and pollution.

The new car's "hybrid" technology has won plaudits from the motoring press as well as environmentalists because it drives just as well as a normal family car. It has won the European car of the year award as well as top rankings in the safety stakes.

Chris pointed out that more people in Eastleigh borough rely on cars to get to work than in almost any other constituency in the country.

The Prius works on a 1.5 litre petrol engine and a 50 kilowatt electric engine. The petrol engine charges the batteries so it does not need an external charge, and a computer controls the switching from one to the other.

"Because it does 0-60 mph in 11 seconds, which is pretty respectable pulling power, it is the first of the new technology to drive and look like a proper car not a souped-up milk float" said Chris.

"And you get a warm glow because you know the car cuts carbon dioxide emissions by a third compared with the average similarly-sized family hatchback run on a petrol engine" said Chris. "So this technology makes a real contribution both to cutting local pollution and to stopping global warming.

"Since my home is on the edge of the Itchen and Barton water meadows between Eastleigh and Bishopstoke, where the Environment Agency gives me a 5 per cent chance of flooding, I want as many eco-friendly cars as possible as quickly as possible!" said Chris.

Cllr Louise Bloom said: "New technologies like the hybrid engine can make a real contribution to curbing local pollution and cutting global warming, and Chris's car is very quiet and comfortable to drive in! Everyone should have one".