For this week's 'What We Like' feature, we're taking a look at some of the more innovative ways manufacturers are adapting to a customer base becoming more environmentally conscious by the day.When you lease a brand new car, you'll now not only benefit from all the best in-car technology advances, like the excellent Audi Virtual Cockpit which we covered last week, but you'll also get the peace of mind that the vehicle will have the best green tech on the market.
While it's true that most manufacturers have begun to take a more environmental angle on their processes and vehicles (largely due to increasing demand) there are a few standout candidates who are threatening to revolutionize the way we build, maintain and dispose of our vehicles.
VOLVO'S DESIGNED TO LAST
Rarely behind the curve when it comes to technology - Swedish brand Volvo are often considered the leading light in safety, but their history in producing "environmentally innovative" options has been well documented since the 1980s. In early 2017, they were named 'World's most Ethical Company' by Ethisphere.com.
Volvo run a highly impressive exchange programme which has been in existence since the end of the Second World War. It means that rather than creating a new car part every time its required, they 'remanufacture' which requires 85% less raw material and 80% less energy than if they were producing it completely new. Volvo estimate it saves around 300 tonnes of aluminium and a massive 800 tonnes of steel per year. What does this all add up to? Well, quite a significant reduction in environmental impact - 4,000 tonnes of CO2, to be exact.
Volvo have lofty ambitions when it comes to their carbon footprint - they hope to have sold 1 million electrified vehicles by 2025 and each of their current flagship models has a plug-in hybrid/electric version.
If you lease a new Volvo, you'll be at the forefront of green technology available in their vehicles. A huge development has been 'CleanZone' which purifies the air in Volvo vehicles no matter how unhealthy the atmosphere is surrounding the car. A filter fitted to the car reduces the levels of pollen, dust and exhaust gas particles that can make their way to the interior.
Please click here to see all our Volvo lease deals: https://www.selectcarleasing.co.uk/car-leasing/volvo/
JAGUAR LAND ROVER - LEADING THE LINE IN EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES
Jaguar / Land Rover are another car manufacturer with one eye on the next generation of vehicles. The first plug-in hybrid Range Rover arrived on the market just this year, and there are signs in their manufacturing processes that this is just the beginning. The new E-Pace is a great example of this, using 10kg of recycled plastics in its construction; the equivalent of 769 small plastic water bottles. That's around 6,200 tonnes of plastic that have been saved from landfill. The Land Rover Discovery manages to top this though, with around 19kg recycled plastics and a huge 7,850 tonnes kept away from landfill. The importance of this project has become even more pronounced as landfill and ocean pollution is expected to reach dangerous levels.
It all comes from Jaguar/Land Rover's state-of-the-art manufacturing centre which has been designed to reduce the CO2 footprint of the plant by over 2,400 per annum. It has the largest solar panel installation in the UK (22,600 panels) and they all combine to generate 30% of energy for the centre, a considerable mount when you think about the amount of vehicles flying off the production line each day.
The final and equally crucial additon is 'Eco Mode'. Jaguar and Land Rover cars arriving on the market now benefit from 'Eco Mode', which encourages more fuel efficient driving by reducing throttle sensitivity and actively minimizing energy consumed by the vehicle. Particularly demanding features such as climate control and audio systems which are restricted when 'Eco Mode' is active. It should all add up to a healthier MPG for the engine, benefiting both the driver in terms of costs and the CO2 emissions produced by the vehicle.
Please click here to see all our Jaguar lease deals: https://www.selectcarleasing.co.uk/car-leasing/jaguar/
Please click here to see all our Landrover lease deals: https://www.selectcarleasing.co.uk/car-leasing/land-rover/
