Green car technologies roadmap - challenges and opportunities

Climate change and the declining supply of conventional fuels due to peak oil have rapidly increased the need for new sustainable vehicle platforms based on fundamentally different technologies, including environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional engines. lightweight structures, use of recyclable and renewable materials, energy efficient manufacturing etc. Future vehicles have to be green, that is have extremely low energy consumption and emissions, in order to meet the challenges posed by global warming. population growth, finite fossil fuels and air quality. Which technologies will be the most effective from the lifecycle perspective will be explored in th is paper, and key challenges and opportunities identified.