Full details of the London 2012 fleet have been revealed by BMW, Official Automotive Partner to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG).

The BMW and MINI fleet surpasses LOCOG’s average fleet emissions target of 120 g/km CO2 target, with average CO2 emissions of 116 g/km CO2 or 64.5mpg.

Set to play an essential role in delivering a successful Games, LOCOG’s deployment plans for the low-emission, diesel, hybrid and electric cars, motorcycles and bicycles were unveiled for the first time. 

Whether it be pulling boats out of the water at Weymouth, providing a mobile camera platform for the marathon, towing a horse ambulance across Greenwich Park or carrying medal winners around the Olympic Park to media interviews, the BMW and MINI fleet will perform an extremely wide range of duties during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Naturally making sure the right people are in the right place at the right time, across more than 30 venues in London and beyond, is another key role of the cars, motorcycles and bicycles which constitute the fleet. Media will be users of the fleet, as well as judges, event organisers, Games officials and staff, ranging from medical officers, IOC photographers and crew to official rights holders and technical delegates.

Richard George, Transport Director, LOCOG said: “From motorcycles to electric vehicles and 4x4s, the requirements of the 2012 fleet are hugely diverse. BMW and MINI have provided a variety of different cars, ideal both for city driving and long distance, to travel to Olympic and Paralympic venues around the country. It was vital that our partner in this field could deliver a one-stop shop solution and meet our sustainability targets. BMW has surpassed our requirements and we are delighted to be working with them.”

Chris Brownridge, UK Marketing Director, BMW said: “Our London 2012 fleet shows what BMW technology can achieve today in terms of fuel economy and low emissions, including the first major presence of super clean EU6-compliant cars on UK roads. We look forward sharing our vision of sustainable urban mobility during the Games, including our revolutionary electric vehicle technology at the BMW Group Pavilion in the Olympic park.”

Beyond the vehicle requirements, BMW Group is supporting a significant number of Team GB and ParalympicsGB members and hopefuls. More than 140 individuals around the country are receiving backing in the form of vehicles, support and encouragement.

In addition, the technical facilities of BMW Group were put to good use to help test the Olympic Torch ahead of its 70 day Olympic Relay around the UK. The company’s state-of-the-art Energy and Environmental Test Centre in Munich was used to test the torch in all manner of different weather conditions, from 5ºC to +40ºC temperatures, +50mph winds, snow and driving rain.

This week BMW also won the Green-Car-Guide.com Greenest Manufcaturer of the Year Award 2012.

Fleet snapshot:

BMW 1 Series ActiveE (EV)

• Number in fleet: 160
• 170hp / Zero tailpipe emissions
• Usage includes: Games time talent shuttle transporting athletes within the Olympic Park and also available for use by broadcasters. Venue pool cars for operational usage and supporting the Olympic Torch Relay.
• Showcase for new charging infrastructure in London; 120 new ‘high speed’ charge points installed in five key locations in London with the first being installed at ExCeL London.

MINI E (Electric Vehicle)

• Number in fleet: 40
• 204hp / Zero tailpipe emissions
• Usage includes: Venue pool cars for operational usage and supporting the Olympic Torch Relay.

MINI Countryman Cooper D

• Number in fleet: 200
• 112hp / 115g/km CO2 / 64.2mpg
• Usage includes: ‘On demand’ service (a walk up taxi rank) at key locations such as London Heathrow and IOC Hotels as well as providing request for transport services where clients contact a call centre and book the service in advance.

BMW 320d Efficient Dynamics

• Number in fleet: 1,550
• 163hp / 109g/km CO2 / 68.9mpg
• Usage includes: Main command car for Olympic Torch Relay, official vehicles for cycling events (race doctor, commissionaires, lead car, neutral service, route management). Will also be used by the 67 Technical Delegates who are responsible for approve the Field of Play and competition set up in accordance with the IF rules.

BMW 520d Efficient Dynamics

• Number in fleet: 700
• 119g/km CO2 / 62.8mpg
• Usage includes: Vehicle transfer and shuttle role.

BMW 5 Series Active Hybrid

• Number in fleet: 20
• 149g/km CO2 / 44.1mpg
• Usage includes: Vehicle transfer and shuttle role.

BMW X3 xDrive 20d

• Number in fleet: 17
• 147g/km CO2 / 50.4mpg
• Usage includes: Specialist role of towing boats at sailing and rowing venues as well as playing a supporting role in the Olympic Torch Relay.

BMW X5 xDrive 30d

• Number in fleet: 10
• 195g/km CO2 / 38.2mpg
• Usage includes: Specialist role of towing horse ambulances at equestrian events as well as providing on-course support.

R1200 RT Motorcycle

• Number in fleet: 25 (Total number of motorcycles including F650GS, R1200GS, R1200RT)
• Usage includes: Key support roles in road based events including cycling.

BMW Streetcruiser Bicycles

• Number in fleet: 400
• Usage includes: Operational support for water-based sports including rowing - for use by team coaches and officials following races.

EU6

As of September 2014, EU6 will be the mandatory emission limit for all new cars. Compared to currently mandatory EU5 level, EU6 virtually brings down diesel nitrogen oxide emissions to petrol car level.

80% of the BMW London 2012 fleet will fulfil EU6 emission standards already - 2 years before they become mandatory. 

The average emissions figure for new cars sold in 2011 was 138.1g/km CO2, equivalent to 52.5mpg; this is 4.2% lower than the previous year, and more than 23% lower than when reporting began in 2000.

Sub-100g/km cars (equivalent to about 70mpg) almost doubled their market share to 3.4%.

According to figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders in its 11th annual New Car CO2report, new cars registered in the UK last year were, on average, 18.0% more fuel efficient than the average car on the road.

The Report shows that in 2011, almost half of new cars (46.8%) had emissions below the 2015 European legislative target of 130g/km CO2. Additionally, over 65,000 vehicles were exempt from Vehicle Excise Duty (VED).

Reductions in average emissions were made across all segments (car sizes) versus 2010, contributing to the significant drop over the past decade. Executive and Specialist Sports made the biggest reduction over the past year, falling 9.5% and 7.0% respectively on 2010 figures while the Executive (-34.9%) and Mini (-29.9%) segments recorded the biggest improvements against the 2000 levels.

The European new car fleet must achieve a 130g/km CO2 average by 2015.
Every vehicle manufacturer has its own target, based on the weight of the cars it sells. These individual targets combine to make the 130g/km average.

In 2012, 65% of the fleet must comply, with the proportion increasing towards total fleet compliance in 2015.
There is an ultimate target of 95g/km CO2 by 2020, subject to impact assessment.

Paul Everitt, SMMT Chief Executive, said, “Industry can be proud of the progress it has made in reducing CO2emissions and improving fuel efficiency, 23 per cent since 2000. The UK motor industry recognises its responsibilities and the industrial opportunities from the transition to ultra-low carbon vehicles. Future environmental and economic success will be determined by sustained investment in new technology, R&D, infrastructure and consumer incentives. We are seeing steady improvement in conventional technologies and the emergence of a range of alternative technologies, creating one of the most innovative periods for the global automotive industry.”

Achieving record market shares, diesel and alternatively-fuelled vehicles (AFVs) continued their rise in popularity, taking 50.6% and 1.3% of the 2011 market respectively. Petrol-electric hybrids accounted for 92% of all AFV volumes in 2011 with an average CO2 output of 104g/km, some 25% below the UK average. Though market development is in its earliest stages, EV registrations rose by 557% in 2011 to 1,098 units, aided by the introduction of new models and the Plug-In Car Grant.

UK automotive is a global leader for low carbon R&D, productivity and quality, exporting its products around the world. To retain this position and meet the stringent EU legislative target of 95g/km CO2 by 2020, the SMMT says that successive governments must commit to a strong long-term industrial policy that provides the certainty required by international firms to sustain investments in low carbon R&D in the UK. Government needs to provide consistency on taxation and maintain and expand incentives like the Plug-In Car Grant, which encourage consumers to move towards low carbon and more fuel-efficient technologies.

The full SMMT New CarCO2 Report 2012 is free to download from www.smmt.co.uk/co2report

Segment performance

Market segmentation examples
A - Mini - eg Hyundai i10
B - Supermini - eg Ford Fiesta
C - Lower Medium - eg Ford Focus
D - Upper Medium - eg Vauxhall Insignia
E - Executive - eg Mercedes C-Class
F - Luxury Saloon - eg Jaguar XJ
G - Specialist Sports - eg Volkswagen Scirroco
H - Dual Purpose (4x4/SUV) - eg Land Rover Freelander
I - Multi-Purpose Vehicle - eg Vauxhall Zafira

Link between CO2 emissions and fuel consumption:

Green-Car-Guide.com has today been announced as media partner for Cenex LCV2012, the UK’s largest annual business-to-business low carbon vehicle event for manufacturers, technology providers and fleet operators.

Cenex Chief Executive Officer, Robert Evans commented, “LCV has established its position as the key industry event in the low carbon vehicle sector’s calendar, and we are pleased to have Green-Car-Guide.com as a media partner for LCV2012.  We feel Green-Car-Guide.com will provide our exhibitors with a platform for the broader promotion of the vehicles and technologies they will be showcasing at LCV2012.  We will be collaborating to support LCV2012 and its exhibitors via regular updates and features in the run-up to the event appearing on the Green-Car-Guide.com website.” 

Paul Clarke, Founder and Editor of Green-Car-Guide.com added, “We are very pleased to be working with LCV2012 as a media partner.  For more than six years, Green-Car-Guide.com has been at the forefront of reporting on ‘green’ cars and industry trends and we’ve worked with Cenex since the very first LCV event, so I’m looking forward to supporting it this year and helping to make LCV2012 the most successful B2B low carbon vehicle event ever.”

Media partner, Green-Car-Guide.com, (www.Green-Car-Guide.com) is the UK's original green car news site, founded in 2006, providing information to a consumer and industry audience about the latest green cars, industry developments and technology advancements.

LCV organiser, Cenex, the UK’s first centre of excellence for low carbon and fuel cell technologies, is also launching an innovative new website (www.cenex-lcv.co.uk), with a raft of interactive options for exhibitors and visitors alike.

The new exhibitors’ pages on the website contain wide-ranging information on event participation, including the ability to book exhibition space online, with a clear overview of stand availability and pricing.  Visitors to the site will also find more information on two of the event’s key features: the technology exhibition and the seminar programme.

The LCV event is now in its fifth year, returning to Millbrook Proving Grounds, Bedfordshire, for the fourth time, on 5 – 6 September 2012. Last year, LCV2011 attracted more than 2,300 delegates from the low carbon vehicle sector (up 32% on 2010) and 110 exhibitors, including high-profile vehicle manufacturers such as Jaguar Land Rover, Ford, Nissan and General Motors, as well as a host of technology and infrastructure suppliers.  

Cenex’s LCV events are held in partnership with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Technology Strategy Board, and UK Trade and Investment.

See the latest news about the LCV event at www.Green-Car-Guide.com

For more information about the event, or to book a place as a visitor or exhibitor, visit the Cenex LCV2012 website, or follow @LCV_event on Twitter.

The three-cylinder, plug-in hybrid BMW i8 Concept Spyder has a 0-62mph acceleration time of 5 seconds, a top speed of 155 mph, and fuel economy of 94mpg.

The i8 Concept Spyder is powered by an ‘eDrive’ drivetrain combining a high performance electric motor with a turbocharged, three-cylinder petrol engine. The lithium Ion batteries are stowed centrally for optimum weight distribution, and can be charged quickly from a domestic power socket.

The i8 Concept Spyder uses a 131hp electric motor to power the front axle, and a 223hp turbocharged three-cylinder engine to power the rear axle. Both have been developed in-house by BMW. With its lightweight construction the combined power output of 354hp propels the Spyder from zero to 62mph in just 5.0 seconds and on to an electronically limited top speed of 155mph, yet delivers combined fuel consumption of 94mpg.

The electric motor gets its energy from the car’s lithium ion batteries and can be fully charged via a domestic plug socket in under two hours. The Spyder has a range of 19 miles running on electric power alone, while a high voltage generator can generate additional power if needed and store it in the battery. Due to the arrangement of the power sources, the Spyder can run in front-wheel, rear-wheel or all-wheel drive, the vehicle’s electronics deciding on the optimum configuration depending on the situation.

Although closely related to the original i8 Concept, the new i8 Concept Spyder is strictly a two-seater, with a shorter wheelbase and new, upward swivelling, windowless doors. It also features a new interpretation of the i8’s interior design, and additional on-board equipment including a pair of electric scooters, housed under a transparent tailgate.

The Spyder has a light but very strong carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) cell, and the various Drive modules - powertrain, chassis and the safety structures - are mainly constructed from aluminium components. The result is that the additional weight of the high-output Hybrid drivetrain has been completely cancelled out.

The car’s lithium ion batteries are housed in an ‘energy tunnel’ that joins the front and rear axles, maintaining a low centre of gravity and ensuring BMW’s trademark 50:50 weight distribution.

The i8 Concept Spyder has new upward-opening doors which pivot forward around the axis of the A-pillar, and a two-section roof is planned.

The vehicle’s power electronics are linked to the intelligent navigation and traffic guidance systems. If a jam is detected ahead the hybrid system will charge the battery in advance, thereby allowing the car to run in pure electric mode while stuck in traffic. 

Road pricing, green fuels and rising oil prices will be among the subjects tackled at a debate hosted by the UK’s largest engineering institutions at Reading University on 18 April.

The Great Personal Transport Debate 2012 will bring together some of the UK’s most influential business leaders and academics, including the Director of the RAC and BP’s top fuels advisor, to debate the future of cars as personal transport.

Philippa Oldham, Head of Transport at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, said: “We are now witnessing the biggest turning point in the history of the car since Henry Ford first perfected his assembly line. Rising oil prices, creaking roads and the emergence of green fuels mean that our cars and the infrastructure they use will change dramatically in the coming decades. This debate is a great opportunity to hear about these issues from some of the UK’s leading automotive experts, ask your questions and put forward your views.”

The evening, hosted by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) and the Chartered Institute of IT (BCS), will begin with presentations from the panel on the most pressing issues facing the future of the British automobile, followed by a Q&A with the audience to be chaired by John Wood, Past President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

The presentations include:

• Road Pricing and Future Roads Infrastructure
Professor Stephen Glaister – Director, RAC Foundation and Professor of Transport and Infrastructure, Imperial College

• Future Oil Supply and Pricing
John Rogerson – Fuels Advisor, BP Global Fuels Technology

• Internal Combustion Engines
Cedric Rouaud – Chief Engineer, Ricardo

• Hybrids
Jon Hilton – Managing Partner, Flybrid Systems LLP

• Electric Cars and Recharging Infrastructure
Professor Phil Blythe - Director of the Transport Operations Research Group, University of Newcastle

The debate will be held from 7pm until 9pm on Wednesday 18 April 2012 at the Palmer Building, University of Reading. Attendance is free and open to all, but registration is essential. You can register to attend on the IET website, www.theiet.org, where there are further details of the event.

The Energy Saving Trust’s Plugged-in Fleets initiative helps organisations find where electric vehicles can provide a clear financial benefit in their operations; applications close on 15 April.

There will be 20 projects funded in total by Transport for London (TfL) and Department for Transport (DfT).

The successful applicants will receive free guidance and a strategic plan for the introduction of electric vehicles (EVs), including plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, into their fleets. Organisations will be led through a programme of work by EST fleet consultants and infrastructure experts from EDF Energy which will include an analysis of each company's fleet to identify where EVs would fit in terms of duty cycle, vehicle whole life cost and infrastructure requirements. The projects will focus on the categories of vehicle eligible for support through the Government's Plug-in Car and Plug-in Van Grants.

This initiative has three key aims:

• to provide a tailored report for each participating fleet, showing how EVs can fit into and benefit their organisation

• to offer wider practical advice for all business fleets - our findings and case studies from the initiative will be published in a final report

• to enable fleet decision makers to purchase and use EVs where they work best 

The organisation will need to demonstrate commitment from the fleet decision maker as well as a senior member of the organisation. The terms and conditions include agreement to provide all relevant fleet information and site access to allow an infrastructure survey(s) to be carried out by EDF Energy. Each project will focus on one principal business unit agreed in advance.

The deadline for applications is Monday 16 April 2012. To apply you will need to complete and sign an application form and a pledge. To find out more call 0845 602 1425.