Aftermarket Leads ? ZOE is RAC Future Car Challenge winner

Renault?s new electric ZOE voted the best production car in the RAC Future Car Challenge 2012.

Some of the lowest-emission cars and vans ? many of which had not been seen on UK roads before ? completed the third annual Brighton to London RAC Future Car Challenge on Saturday 3 November.

The event, sponsored by RAC Motoring Services was first introduced in 2010 to showcase low energy use vehicles. It features competitors driving electric, hybrid, hydrogen and low-emission conventional petrol and diesel cars on a 63-mile route from Brighton to London, using the least amount of energy as possible. The event is a real-world test of current and future vehicle technology.

Those taking part ranged from enthusiasts and independents driving their own vehicles to major car manufacturers including Renault, Mercedes-Benz, Vauxhall, BMW and Jaguar Land Rover. Many of the vehicles, such as the Vauxhall HydroGen4, Jaguar XJ_e PHEV will not be on sale for two or more years or have rarely been seen on UK roads.

Many well-known personalities took part including, (Red Dwarf actor and green car ambassador) Robert Llewellyn in a Vauxhall Ampera, (Smooth DJ) Mark Goodier in a Mitsubishi i-Miev, (Team GB British Olympic swimmer) Ross Davenport in a Toyota Prius Plug in, (Coronation Street actor) Tony Hirst in a Nissan Leaf, and (BBC Top Gears? Former Stig) Ben Collins Gear in a Nissan Leaf.

Ben Collins, former BBC Top Gear Stig and now Hollywood stunt driver said: ?Over the years I?ve driven practically every car on the planet. The pace of change in technology has been phenomenal, especially for electric and hybrid cars where fuel efficiency is finally being matched by performance. That?s how Audi won the Le Mans 24 hours this year and how I hauled an Electric powered Supercar like the Tesla around the Top Gear track as fast as a Ferrari!?

This year the number of awards categories had been increased for production vehicles and prototype vehicles and included most energy efficient vehicles by size and type (saloon, sports car, light commercial vehicle etc.) best electric, extended range, hybrid, hydrogen and internal combustion engine vehicles.

Not only was the Renault Zoe ZE measured as being the Most Energy Efficient Small Car over the Brighton to London route, the Renault ZOE was also judged to be the Best Pure Electric Vehicle as well as the Overall Production Car winner on the day. The five-door all-electric ?supermini? has an official range of up 130 miles and can be charged to 80 per cent of its battery capacity in half an hour.

The driver(s) of each vehicle completing the Challenge within the specified time was presented with a Royal Automobile Club Finishers Award and Certificate. In addition, Royal Automobile Club trophy awards were presented to the winners of each of the following categories:

Production Vehicles

Most Energy Efficient Small Car (A&B): Renault Zoe

Most Energy Efficient Regular Car (C): Vauxhall Ampera

Most Energy Efficient Luxury Car (E&F): Mercedes Benz E300 Hybrid

Most Energy Efficient Light Commercial Vehicle (max 3.5 tonnes): Renault Kangoo Van

Best Pure Electric Vehicle (EV): Renault Zoe

Best Extended-Range Vehicle (E-REV, PHEV): Vauxhall Ampera

Best Hybrid Vehicle (HV, HEV): Mercedes Benz E300 Hybrid

Best Fuel Cell Vehicle: Vauxhall HydroGen4

Best Internal Combustion Engine (ICE): BMW 116d EfficientDynamics

Prototype Vehicles

Most Energy Efficient Small Car (A&B): Cree SAM Moto-e3

Most Energy Efficient Luxury Car (E&F): Jaguar XJ_e

Most Energy Efficient Sports Car (S): Windreich AG ME 2012

Most Energy Efficient Light Commercial Vehicle (max 3.5 tonnes): Mercedes-Benz Vito Electric Mini Bus

Best Pure Electric Vehicle (EV): Windreich AG ME 2012

Best Extended Range Vehicle: Politecnico Di Torino

Best Extended-Range Vehicle (E-REV, PHEV): XAM 2.0

Best Future Car Public Choice Awards: Windreich AG ? ME 2012

The Royal Automobile Club Trophy

Best Private Entry: Cree SAM Moto-e3

Technical Panel?s Award of Merit: Jaguar XJ_e

RAC Future Car Challenge Winner ? Prototype: Windreich AG ? ME 2012

RAC Future Car Challenge Winner ? Production: Renault Zoe

For more info about the winners of the RAC Future Car Challenge: www.futurecarchallenge.com.

See the article here:
ZOE is RAC Future Car Challenge winner

Tags: hybrid cars, london

Source: http://www.aftermarketleads.com/2012/11/zoe-is-rac-future-car-challenge-winner.html

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