Irish Times: Ministers await delivery of their new 'green' luxury cars

DukeDredd

From todays Irish Times:

The Government fleet of ministerial cars is to take delivery later this month of its first so-called "environmentally friendly" vehicles that run on both petrol and electricity.

The cars, two luxury high performance saloons that can travel at up to 250kph, will be delivered to Minister for Natural Resources Noel Dempsey and Minister for the Environment Dick Roche, who have both requested eco-friendly vehicles.

The cars, the Lexus 450H GS are marketed as being much more fuel-efficient than traditional petrol cars, and attract generous tax breaks from the Government for being part electrically propelled. They are believed to have cost €70,000 each.

However, it has emerged that the 3.5 litre engines produce more emissions than luxury diesel cars or standard petrol family cars. Yesterday a spokesman for Mr Roche defended the purchase, saying the cars produced up to 30 per cent less emissions than similar petrol-only cars. Mr Roche wanted to "set an example" on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The new Lexus is powered by a hybrid engine, a traditional petrol engine augmented by an electric motor, which is powered by batteries recharged from the energy used in applying the brakes.

The new model has also highlighted an anomaly in the Government's tax system in that even though it is less environmentally friendly in terms of emissions than a large proportion of petrol and diesel cars, it qualifies for a vehicle registration tax rebate of more than €10,000 because it is a hybrid.

It produces just over 1.8 tonnes of greenhouse gases for every 10,000 kilometres driven. A standard 1.6 litre petrol car normally produces between 1.5 and 1.7 tonnes.

How is driving around in a €70K Lexus setting the rest of us an example?! Minister Roche if you want me to set an example no problem, land one on to me here and i'll happily do it for you.

Feckers.

road_high

What rubbish, the Lexus H300 Hybrid is far from economical.
In fact the current ministerial mercs (which I presume are diesel) would offer superior economy to any pointless SUV thing.

They should be incentivising green cars such as VW Golf diesel, Daihatsu Charade, etc etc instead of wasting our hard earned taxpayers on flawed PR exercises such as buying these ' green' SUVs.

And anyway, any of the diesel SUVs are more economical than the Lexus would ever be.

Henry Ford III

mfitzy wrote:

What rubbish, the Lexus H300 Hybrid is far from economical.
In fact the current ministerial mercs (which I presume are diesel) would offer superior economy to any pointless SUV thing.

They should be incentivising green cars such as VW Golf diesel, Daihatsu Charade, etc etc instead of wasting our hard earned taxpayers on flawed PR exercises such as buying these ' green' SUVs.

And anyway, any of the diesel SUVs are more economical than the Lexus would ever be.

Bertie was being driven in an 02 240 Merc last week. Petrol.

prospect

mfitzy wrote:

What rubbish, the Lexus H300 Hybrid is far from economical.
In fact the current ministerial mercs (which I presume are diesel) would offer superior economy to any pointless SUV thing.

They should be incentivising green cars such as VW Golf diesel, Daihatsu Charade, etc etc instead of wasting our hard earned taxpayers on flawed PR exercises such as buying these ' green' SUVs.

And anyway, any of the diesel SUVs are more economical than the Lexus would ever be.

Is it not the hybrid version of the GS car they are getting?

road_high

prospect wrote:

Is it not the hybrid version of the GS car they are getting?

My mistake, its the Lexus RX that is the SUV I think??
The Irish times have GS written, if it was the GS saloon (didn't think it had a Hybrid yet), if it was the saloon I let them off (just about though!)

Stephen

Why the hell do the ministers need 3500cc engines that can propel them to 250km/h?

unkel

Ridiculous gaz guzzlers! :mad:

A Merc E-class 220CDI or BMW 5-series 520d should be more than adequate in every way as a chauffeur driven executive car for a minister

phoenix_nights

mfitzy wrote:

My mistake, its the Lexus RX that is the SUV I think??
The Irish times have GS written, if it was the GS saloon (didn't think it had a Hybrid yet), if it was the saloon I let them off (just about though!)

They have a hybrid saloon.

peasant

Now THAT

http://www.twike.com/english_informations.html

would be setting an example ...room for the chauffeur and 550 miles per gallon

Hybrid, with cruise control and all that ...




(I'd actually buy one ...if they weren't so horrendously expensive ...)