Luxury vehicles go "green"

Source: CCTV.com | 04-24-2008 10:13

Car manufacturers claiming to be green is nothing new. So far, though, this has mostly been applied to mid-range models, while high-end luxury vehicles continue to rely on huge engines and ultra-high emissions. But now they're trying to convince visitors to this year's Beijing auto show that these gas-guzzlers are in fact good for the environment.

Around 30 new cars are making their Asian or global debut at the 2008 Beijing international auto show. Nearly one-third are high-end green cars. Transport efficiency has become a strong argument for auto makers, especially when it comes to dealing with traffic congestion.

Klaus Berning, director of Sales and Marketing, Porsche, said, "In specific traffic situation, especially congested city driving. Such cars are very fuel economic. Situations like we experienced this morning, a lot of stop and goes, the hybrid cars are very suitable for that."

However, luxury auto makers don't apply green technology to all their models. They've chosen to first apply it on already popular ones, in order to insure customer acceptance. Porsche chooses to apply its first hybrid engine to the Cayenne, which is one of its most popular models in China -- accounting for 80% of the group's total sales. Likewise, brands like Mercedes-Benz and BMW are offering hybrid alternatives in popular models.

As high-end manufacturers go green, many of them choose to begin with their mid-class models. The satisfying sales figure, being one reason. But it's the performance that's another major concern.

Klaus Berning said, "Our customers are sensitive. They know if they want top performance, they need to use more energy."

But that doesn't mean top class vehicles can't be good to the environment. Besides a green engine, there's a lot of eco-friendly materials that can be used in the manufacturing process.

Zhu Linjie, PR manager of Acura Motor Company,said, "The materials we use to build the car are 90% recyclable. We also make sure the amount of hazardous gas produced is minimized."

Industry insiders are quite optimistic about the future of high-end green cars. The demand is not only driven by the cost-efficiency of green energy, but also fueled by the increasingly popular eco-conscious lifestyle among upscale customers.

Editor:Zhang Ning