| How to Save Money by Greener Driving |
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| Green Car
Guide |
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The Top 10 Green Cars - Electric City Cars
| City Cars |
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Electric
1.G-Wiz
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| Model/Engine size: All |
| Fuel: Electric |
Fuel economy combined:
Up to 600 mpg equivalent |
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Summary
There are now 3 models of G-Wiz. They are all very small and its styling just doesn’t look as cool and trendy as a Smart car or a Toyota Aygo, although it is gaining somewhat of a cult status in certain quarters.The ‘original’ DC drive offers 40 mph and a range of up to 40 miles; the AC drive offers 45 mph, up to 48 miles range and 50% extra torque over 20 mph whilst the G-Wiz i which is capable of 50 mph seeks to address some of the shortcomings of these two.
The G-Wiz i adds front disc brakes which deliver a much needed 30% improvement in performance, an improved cabin layout with a curved windscreen and a hill hold function. The best news is that a safety package has been developed with Lotus Engineering to help in front and side accidents although don’t expect it to compete with mainstream cars yet. The i also gets a collapsible steering column which has been standard fit in cars for over 40 years!
It’s been claimed to be the greenest car available but that is strictly only true if it is recharged from renewable energy sources. It’s also claimed that the full purchase, running and maintenance cost of a G-Wiz can easily be recovered in under 12 months. Made in India from plastics, the G-Wiz has become the world’s best selling electric car, with over 1,200 sold to date and around 750 in London alone, where it’s becoming a common sight. It has four seats, although the rear ones are suitable only for children.
What’s it like to live with? Well firstly you have to plug it into the mains to recharge the battery. That means you really need to have a drive or some form of secure off street parking facility to recharge the car overnight, which costs about 30p, depending on your electricity tariff. The maximum range of 40 miles is dependent upon the time of year (the batteries don’t last as long in winter), whether you use the heater (which reduces the already low range by a further 10 miles) and whether you drive in the “economy” or “full-power” (42mph) mode in the automatic gearbox. |
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| Fuel economy extra urban: N/A |
| Fuel economy urban: N/A |
| CO2 emissions: Very low/potentially zero* |
| Green rating: VED band A - £0 a year |
| Weight: 665 Kg |
| Company car tax liability (2007): 9% |
| Price: 6,999 (DC motor), £7,999 (AC) £8,895 G-Wiz i |
| Insurance group: 1 |
| Safety: NCAP N/A |
| Max speed: 45mph |
| 0-25mph: 7.1 seconds, 0-30mph: 10.4 seconds |
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