Mary Smith

Although Land Rover’s close relationship with our planet is a perfectly natural one, from farmyards to rainforests and glaciers to sand dunes, the term “eco friendly” conjures up quite different images. While maintaining its position as the preeminent off-roader, how has utilitarian stalwart that has long been the choice of explorers and agriculturalists alike, adapted to the new mantle of eco friendly motoring?

At the 2006 Geneva Motorshow, Land Rover first unveiled their vision of eco friendly motoring. LAND_e brings together the most up to date all-terrain technologies, designed to improve both the environmental performance and breadth of capability. As ever, real-world practicality and performance to match the rigours of our planet are paramount.

Starting with the engine, the use of cleaner diesel fuels produced from renewable biomass sources help to strike this balance between performance ecology. Renewable fuels from biomass help to partially offset the CO₂ produced by the engine with that which is absorbed when new crops are grown.

The performance characteristics of Land Rover’s Terrain Response system deliver further CO₂ reductions while maintaining the kind of traction and off road management that’s not commonly associated with an eco friendly car.

So, not what you’d expect of a hybrid car but Terrain Response improvements include an Electric Rear Axle Drive (ERAD). When pulling away under light acceleration, the system uses electrical energy stored in a traction battery to drive away without starting the engine. The engine is restarted to support the requirement for additional power.

When the driver takes their foot off the accelerator, or lightly applies the brake, the energy is captured using the electronic rear axle and is stored in the vehicle’s battery. Again, when more is needed, conventional friction brakes are seamlessly integrated. This allows for increased control, safety and fuel economy. As does the system which stops the engine whenever propulsion is not required, at a red light for example but the engine restarts whenever the driver demands acceleration, saving fuel and reducing CO₂emissions.

Author Bio:

This article was writing for Land Rover Our Planet talking about Land Rover’s eco friendly cars.

Biosphere Expeditions is an award-winning, not-for-profit organisation running wildlife expeditions for people wishing to do something active and altruistic in conservation. It was founded in 1999 in the hope that their conservation expeditions would make a small but significant difference to our planet’s biosphere, while at the same time bringing enjoyment, fulfilment and education to the Biosphere Expedition environment volunteer teams.

However, these expeditions are not simply tours for eco-tourists or wildlife holidays for those seeking a bit of adventure. The essential aim of Biosphere Expeditions is to support and develop genuine wildlife projects by placing ordinary, yet undeniably dedicated people in a position where they can work alongside leading research scientists in the field.

As the ongoing commitment and ultimate goal of Biosphere Expeditions is to make an active contribution towards a truly sustainable biosphere, the expedition work is centred on real biological conservation activity. So, they’re no holiday but the hard work does come with an undeniable sense of satisfaction for the wildlife volunteers who commit to worthy cause. These volunteers can rest assured, safe in the knowledge that they not only had an exciting conservation holiday but one with true purpose.

Spending a productive time in the conservation of our global natural heritage is an immensely rewarding experience. Such is Land Rover’s faith and commitment to the ideals embodied by Biosphere Expeditions that the organisation became one of Land Rover’s Global Environmental Sponsorship Partners in 2002.

As part of this dedication, Land Rover provides vehicle support to Biosphere teams all over Our Planet. This allows them to tackle the most difficult terrain that our planet has to offer, in places like Oman, Altai, Slovakia, Namibia and Brazil. In these diverse landscapes and environments, Biosphere Expeditions are engaged in the scientific study and conservation of species as diverse as Arabian and snow leopards, jaguars, pumas, cheetahs, wolves, bears and chamois.

Author Bio:
This article was written for Land Rover Our Planet and their serving with Biosphere Expeditions