COP 15: Green car round-up from Copenhagen

The news out of Copenhagen today is how disagreements over the old Kyoto Protocol might influence the rest of the two-week discussions in the COP 15 United Nations Climate Change Conference 2009. Since we're focused on how these global talks might impact transportation, we noticed a report from the National Post that says green cars "are expected to get a big boost from the on-going international climate talks in Copenhagen." Specifically, some people expect the conference to result in a boost in eco-car production in the coming years. But weren't these changes coming anyway?

Peugeot is using the conference to talk about how well it's been doing on the green car front already. The French company announced today that half of the vehicles it sold in Europe in 2009 emit less than 130 grams of CO2 per kilometer. To fit in with the green vibes in Denmark, Peugeot also used COP15 to "confirm its commitment to provide future sustainable mobility and its actions to reduce the environmental footprint of its automobiles." Good on 'em.

Also, it turns out that the first non-Fisker person to drive the Karma will be the Crown Prince of Denmark. Some guys get all the luck.

[Source: National Post, Peugeot]

PRESS RELEASE:

PEUGEOT ACCEPTS ITS RESPONSIBILITIES FOR TOMORROW'S GENERATION

* 50% of Peugeot's European sales in the first nine months of 2009 have CO2 emissions below 130 g/km, and 47.5 % of its worldwide sales are below 140 g/km
* Peugeot is one of the world leaders in the automobile sector for controlling the environmental footprint of its products
* Peugeot will launch its new electric car, the Peugeot i0n, at the end of 2010
* "Mu by Peugeot"- integral mobility solution to be introduced
* Peugeot's forest carbon sink in Amazonia has already absorbed 110,000 tonnes of CO2

Today, at a press conference for the 'Bright Green' Event at the COP 15 in Copenhagen, Peugeot confirmed its commitment to provide future sustainable mobility and its actions to reduce the environmental footprint of its automobiles.

With 50 % of its European sales in the first nine months of this year having CO2 emissions below 130 g/km, and 47.5 % of its worldwide sales below 140 g/km, Peugeot has clearly established itself as one of the world leaders in the automobile sector, for controlling the environmental footprint of its products.

This result has been achieved by the optimisation of a number of current technologies – HDi engine technology, common rail diesel injection and particulate filters, naturally aspirated petrol engines with Variable Valve Timing (VVT) and Turbocharged Direct Injection petrol engines (THP) – all reflecting Peugeot's contribution to sustainable automobile mobility. Unlike other manufacturers, this technology is not just reserved for a special model. Nearly all of Peugeot's model ranges benefit from these technologies: Peugeot 207 at 99 g/km, Peugeot 107 at 106 g/km, Peugeot 308 at 120 g/km, Peugeot 407 at 129 g/km, Peugeot 3008 at 130 g/km and Peugeot 5008 at 135 g/km.

These strong green credentials also provide a major competitive advantage for Peugeot, in terms of both image and cost of ownership and the Peugeot brand has every intention of holding onto it, and even strengthening it further in the future.

Demonstrating the brand's ability to take advantage of all future automobile technologies, and to start the introduction of these new technologies, Peugeot will launch its new electric car, the Peugeot i0n, at the end of 2010. Customers can, however, already place their orders for this vehicle. This will be Peugeot's return to the electric vehicle market, where it is still the world leader today (in terms of the number of vehicles produced).

Between now and the end of 2011, Peugeot will intensify its efforts to further reduce emissions. Several Stop & Start models will be launched and the technology will be introduced across a large number of vehicles at the very heart of the Peugeot model range.

These will not be special vehicles and, therefore, this technology will become common place and available to a wide customer base at a competitive price, enabling fuel consumption and emissions to be reduced by 8 to 15 % in normal use, depending on traffic conditions.

In 2011, the Peugeot 3008 HYbrid4 will be launched and will be the first application of this promising technology that combines both driving enjoyment and environmental protection, with a 35 % reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

In the future, other vehicles in the Peugeot range will also benefit from this technology. In 2012, Peugeot will also be launching the 3008 plug‑in Hybrid4, which will initially be available to fleet customers only, as this is where this technology will bring the biggest benefits.

Improving the automobile is an essential way forward, but not the only one. Peugeot, as a long standing manufacturer of bicycles, motorcycles and automobiles, is also providing a new "flexible mobility solution for individuals and families".

Called "Mu by Peugeot", this new concept for which the experimental phase has just been completed, is currently being rolled out in France, before it is introduced into five other European capitals.

This integral mobility solution is based on a pre-paid credit card and enables customers, whether or not they own a Peugeot or even a car to access a range of services such as flexible weekend vehicle rental, rental of a Peugeot motor scooter or bicycle, or services that are even more specific (rental of a van, loan of child seats for a limited period, ski racks for winter, etc.).

With this solution, Peugeot is unveiling a new way of "using tailored mobility services" combined with a "usage-based" method of payment, with the aim of staying one step ahead in services and making its unique range of mobility solutions available to all.

Peugeot has an exemplary approach to reducing its environmental footprint through the products it puts onto the market from its core business, automobiles.

In addition to Peugeot's efforts in the design of its products, the brand also undertook, in 1999, working with the Forestry Commission of France to create a Forest Carbon Sink in Amazonia. This project, which is planned to last 40 years, has just celebrated its tenth anniversary. Among other commendations, its success has been recognised by the handover of part of the natural heritage of the project to a private concern, which was signed on the 18th of November with the state of Mato-Grosso where it is located (Brazilian Amazonia).

Under this project, two million trees of more than fifty different local species (a record for this type of project) have been reintroduced. This means that a total of 110,000 tonnes of CO2 have already been captured by this restored natural system, and this will soon be certified by a qualified and independent organisation.

The "carbon credits" obtained in this way will be entirely reinvested by Peugeot and the French Forestry Commission in respect to the ecological, scientific and social objectives of the project. It is part of an economic model which is capable of being replicated and shows how forestry and biodiversity are increasingly important with regards to the issue of climatic change.

This is how Peugeot, through its current and future efforts at both ends of the scale, i.e. in its automobile products and through the Forest Carbon Sink in Amazonia, is making a commitment to future generations
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