Ford and the Energy Saving Trust announced a nationwide smart driving challenge to find the UK’s greenest motorist.

Smart driving techniques deliver environmental, financial and safety benefits through reduced fuel consumption and a smoother driving style designed to reduce wasteful acceleration and braking.

Ford’s ECOnetic range of low CO2 models, showcased at this year’s ‘Sexy Green Car Show’, will go on to regional smart driving events this summer.

Motorists will compete at six regional heats including July’s British International Motor Show in London. The Focus ECOnetic models they will be driving have a combined fuel consumption figure of almost 66mpg – resulting in a class-leading 114g CO2/km.

Ford has offered eco driving courses in Europe since 2000 to help Ford owners develop a smooth fuel-saving driving style. Fuel consumption is typically reduced by 15 per cent and savings can be as much as 25 per cent.

Andy Taylor, Ford’s sustainability director, said: “Designing and manufacturing fuel efficient cars such as Ford ECOnetic range becomes even more meaningful when linked to other measures to reduce emissions.
“Smooth and smart driving plays a huge but often unrecognised part in motoring – both financially as well as environmentally.”

Nigel Underdown, Energy Saving Trust head of transport advice, said: “The Energy Saving Trust believes that typical savings of 15 per cent – in litres, pounds and CO2 – are achievable and realistic by adopting smarter driving techniques. Drivers will welcome the savings as fuel prices reach record levels and will also help address global warming by reducing CO2 emissions.

Ben Gulak, a young Canadian inventor has created an innovative new electric motorbike that takes some of the lessons learned from the Segway device, but equipment them in a much cooler package. Ben grew up around his grand-father’s basement machine shop. While he doesn’t have any formal training, yet, Ben has spent much of his life making projects like ‘model trains, rockets and other cool stuff. The young inventor is currently courting investors for his Uno project, and truly believes that the vehicle might one day provide a green alternative for urban commuters.

The bike, called the Uno, looks from its profile like a strange powered unicycle but actually employs two wheels side-by-side. The Uno also make use of a set of gyros to enhance the ease of balance, and the wheels are separately operated making turning a lot more precise.

Since Ben had competed at the International level of the science fair before, he was able to apply to Team Canada directly without going through the Regional and National levels of competition. It was this competition that he submitted his first Uno. A simple frame made from angle iron and mountain bike wheels, which were of course powered by electric motors. Gulak, says that the Uno is relatively simple to ride but, "takes a bit of getting used to because you have to learn to trust it."

"It has a range of about 2.5 hours and it is designed for the commute to work through busy towns" says Gulak. "I believe this could be electrical alternative to the car. I’m just looking for an investor to help me get it into production."