Skoda has taken advantage of the Octavia’s modular platform, that underpins cars ranging from the VW Golf to the Audi TT, to allow them to install the necessary batteries, electric control units and electric motor without compromising the passenger or luggage space available.

The motor provides a constant power of 60kW (80bhp) and can provide bursts up to 85kW (114bhp) when overtaking. Torque is pegged at 270Nm, allowing the Green E Line to sprint form 0-62mph in 12 seconds and on to a limited top speed of 84mph.

Using lithium ion batteries, the Octavia Green E Line has a range of 87 miles. The batteries weigh 315kg and are located under the rear seats and extend rearwards. However, rear seat and boot space remains the same as the conventionally powered car.

Skoda has added an information screen for the driver which provides continuous information including instant output, power consumption, battery charge and the remaining range.  The navigation display describes the energy flow too – for example it informs the driver that the electric engine is being supplied with electricity or, on the contrary, that it is generating electricity as the car decelerates or goes downhill.

Skoda has definitely come a long way in the past 15 years.  It used to be the target of a vast number of jokes, such as… What do you call a Skoda with the roof down? Answer: A skip.  But, as ever, the Czech Republic car manufacturer, now owned by the mighty Volkswagon, will probably have the last laugh, because now its green credentials are the main thing to smile about

Related Articles

• Skoda rolls out Octavia Green E Line electric concept in Paris (green.autoblog.com)
• Skoda Octavia Green E Line Concept EV (solarfeeds.com)
• Skoda shows first electric vehicle – the Octavia Green E Line (gizmag.com)
• Paris Preview: Skoda reveals ultra-efficient second-gen Greenline models (green.autoblog.com)
• 2010 Paris Motor Show: Skoda, SEAT Reveal New EVs (allcarselectric.com)

Organised by EDF Energy with Eco-Schools, London 2012, the Eden Project and Global Action Plan, the day aims to inspire Britons to cut the UK’s carbon footprint in time for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

At HZH, it’s fair to say that we suffer from a mildly cynical view of these kinds of special ‘days’ and ‘weeks,’ which are designed as a focal point as part of a wider plan or promotional activities, geared to generating media interest and, subsequently hopefully, mass consumer participation.

Now we don’t want to knock what is a good, worthy effort.  That’s not our job.  You can buy The Sun or the Daily Mail for that.  But we do wonder whether Green Britain Day should just be every day?  On the basis that that’s a big ask, and it’s best to eat the elephant in small bites etc., we’ll take the day for now – but let’s hope green days are the norm rather than the exception in the not too distant future.

Of all the events that form part of this year’s Green Day push, then Team Green Britain Bike Week does it for us (19 to 27 June).  This is an annual opportunity to promote cycling and show how cycling can easily be part of everyday life. Demonstrating the social, health and environmental benefits of cycling, the week aims to get people to give cycling a go all over the UK. This year, the aim is to make ‘everyday cycling for everyone’!

As part of this, there’s even a celebrity bike auction, where you can buy Lord Sugar’s drop handlebar racer.  The current highest bid on that is £1,000.  Let’s hope it gets a few more bids otherwise, Sir Alan, ‘You’re fired!” (Sorry, I just wanted to say that!)

Under plans announced by the Department of Energy and Climate Change, FiTs open the door to householders who choose to generate their own energy (by installing solar panels or wind turbines for example) to ‘sell’ surplus energy via their energy supplier back to the National Grid.

The scheme does have its critics, but it is the first of many steps the Government will be taking to help meet its targets for lowering carbon emissions.  For householders, it offers the chance to radically change their relationship with energy suppliers.  Rather than being solely importers of energy into their homes, they will become exporters – which can offset energy costs and any investment made on green energy devices in the home.

So, Home Zero Home was interested to see how much people on the street know about FiTs – if anything.  GreenUnlimted spent the day talking to punters in London, at Oxford Circus and in the City.  The results, admittedly straw poll-like in their methodology, make for interesting reading…

The following questions were put to 233 homeowners:

1.     Are you a home owner? (the assumption being that people who own their own properties would be more likely to undergo the improvements needed to qualify for the scheme)

2.     Have you heard of the government’s new Feed in Tariffs?

3.     Would you be interested in partaking in the Feed in Tariffs?

4.     Do you think your property is suitable for installing renewable energy?

5.     Do you know when the Feed in Tariff initiative launches?

Less than 1% (2 people) had heard of the FiT’s. After a brief explanation of what they were just over 24% (57 people) were interested in partaking in the scheme but only 5% (12 people) thought that their property would be suitable. No one knew when the scheme launched.

GreenUnlimited believes that there is a need to overcome the inertia of public ignorance about the existence, benefits and suitability of FiT’s for domestic energy generation. Extending early adoption beyond the enclave of those already converted and expectant of the scheme gives FiT’s a stronger foundation from which to grow.

We’ve sent the findings to DECC with some ideas about communicating FiTs.  If you have any views about FiTs, they’ll be gratefully received.

We do need to do something.  And it needs to be big. So I predict that there will be a considerable amount of conflicting messages floating around in the foreseeable future, just as in the past.  I also predict that the various targets that have been set for ‘zeroing’ the planet’s carbon output are at risk of being missed, and probably will be.  Politicians will say, on Radio 4′s Today Programme and elsewhere, ‘I told you so’. I also predict that the media will moan about the ‘cost’ of being/going ‘green’ and the zero carbon housing that has already been built will be ‘outed’ in a shock Sun newspaper expose that reveals exclusively that some of these dwellings are, in fact, not ‘zero’ at all.  This will be supported by quotes from a mad scientist who looks vaguely like Einstein, who will eventually appear on ‘Britian’s Got Talent’.

‘He’ will get the Christmas number one single in the UK charts at some point in the next decade.  And then he will be revealed as actually being a woman, who will then join the ‘Loose Women’ team as a regular and possibly go on to host ITV’s ‘This Morning’ with that bloke with the silver hair. Basically, the next decade will be a bit like the last decade.  As usual, for those not interested in making the effort to look a little further beyond their comfort zone, it will be full of all the usual ‘stuff’.  Great! However, maybe it’s worth making a New Year’s resolution to dig a little deeper, go a couple of yards beyond the usual nine, peek into things with a tad more effort than normal and form some opinions – or even better – get online and join a debate that you feel passionate about and let people know how YOU feel about things that MATTER and that you CARE about.  If that happens to be climate change, you’re welcome here.  If it’s not, you still will be – but there are plenty of other places out there in the digital world where you can participate and have your say. Join in.  Engage.  It’s a great, liberating thing to do.  It’s powerful.  And you CAN make a difference. Happy New Year everyone, and thanks for the support with HZH in 2009. We’ll be back in 2010 and beyond with a new site, some campaigns and more to say!

The Prime Minister of Denmark, the Secretary-General of the United Nations and a limited number of Heads of State and Government, including President Obama, representing all groups and regions, are speaking at an Informal High Level event. Watch on the UNFCCC live stream.

President Obama of the United States has now arrived to lend his political weight to the negotiations and, hopefully, help achieve an ambitious deal.  Yesterday the President’s Secretary of State Hilary Clinton announced America’s intention to work with other countries towards a goal of “jointly mobilizing $100bn a year by 2020 to address the climate change needs of developing countries.”

The UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has already given his statement at the High Level Segment of the COP15 urging leaders to overcome obstacles and form “the first global alliance of 192…for the preservation of the planet”.  Gordon Brown has also spoken of the challenges of his role at the UN Climate Change summit, but says that he is determined to reach a “legally binding treaty”. The PM said, “It is really important, for Britain that we get this deal and it is important that I do everything I can in the next few days to make that possible.”