EcoTour

Publication date: 24 June 2008

Starting in Barcelona on 13 September 2008 (with a prologue on 12 September 2008), the EcoTour will finish at The Hague on 19 September 2008, coinciding with the ANWB symposium “Towards Zero Emissions”. During the EcoTour, 42 teams of “eco-drivers” from all over Europe will compete in 42 of the most fuel-efficient cars available on the European market, divided into six categories. At least 25 of the 42 teams are expected to come from FIA clubs. As a result, the EcoTour will generate six winning teams and six winning cars.

By participating to the EcoTour, FIA clubs will inform their members and other Europeans about the benefits of eco-driving and fuel-efficient cars, in terms of saving fuel, saving money, and – most importantly – saving the planet. The EcoTour fits perfectly with the official FIA strategy on climate change and the FIA’s “Make Cars Green” campaign. While the EcoTour will visit nine European countries, FIA clubs in countries outside the route will also participate by enrolling one or more teams, each consisting of two drivers. FIA clubs in countries that will be visited by the EcoTour will organise local events at stopovers. FIA clubs will contribute to the overall success of the EcoTour by publishing information on the preparations for the EcoTour, the EcoTour itself, the results on eco-driving or on fuel-efficient cars in general.

Any further information can be obtained by contacting Olivier Lenz from the FIA European Bureau +32 2 282 0816.

EcoTour of Europe 2008

What is the EcoTour of Europe?
The EcoTour is a 7 day tour through nine European countries with 42 of the most fuel efficient cars. The tour will start in Barcelona (Spain) and finish in The Hague (Netherlands).

Why is it organized?
The EcoTour of Europe is organised to draw attention of the EU citizens to the most fuel efficient cars in Europe. By using a competitive element it shows that ‘eco-driving’ can be fun. The secondary goal is to highlight the social responsibility of FIA, its clubs and the EcoTour sponsors and partners. Participation of teams from all over Europe is essential in reaching both goals.

History
Exactly 10 years ago the last EcoTour of Europe was organised by the ADAC and the ÖAMTC. The route started in Bonn and finished in Monaco.

How the EcoTour works
The tour contains 42 fuel efficient cars driven by 42 teams of ‘eco-drivers’.

42 Cars
The cars are divided in 6 ranges. The ANWB TOP10 list of most economical cars is used to provide the selection of the 7 most fuel efficient cars. In the end there will be 6 overall winners and 6 x 7 day winners.

Petrol
7x Mini + supermini
7x Small family cars
7x Family cars

Diesel
7x Mini + supermini
7x Small family cars
7x Family cars

42 Teams
The 42 teams are formed by the FIA-clubs (personnel, journalists, members), the relations of FIA clubs (business partners and sponsors) and international sponsors. In the end there will be 6 overall winners and 6 x 7 day winners. There will be some cars for journalists, VIP’s et cetera driving ‘out of competition’. The Caravan Club will even drive a fuel efficient car with a light weight caravan to show caravanning can be fuel efficient as well.

EcoTour route
The EcoTour will stop in 9 countries. Each day the program provides a lunch stop and a finish stop intended to create free publicity.

12 September Barcelona (prologue)
13 September Barcelona (start), Narbonne (lunch), Avignon (finish)  
14 September Avignon (start), Lyon (lunch), Genève (finish)
15 September Genève (start), Alps (lunch), Como (finish)
16 September Como (start), Alps (lunch), Seefeld in Tirol (finish)
17 September Seefeld (start), München (lunch), Stuttgart (finish)
18 September Stuttgart (start), Strasbourg (lunch), Luxembourg (finish)
19 September Luxembourg (start), Bruxelles (lunch), Den Haag (finish)

Programme
Start    :  9:00
Arrival at lunch time  : 11:30
Departure from lunch event : 13:30
Arrival at fuel station  : 16:00
Departure from fuel station : 16:30
Arrival at finish event  : 17:00
End of finish event  : 19:00

Participating clubs
The clubs that are already participating in this EcoTour are:
Spain    : RACC
France    : Automobile Club d’Alsace
Switzerland   : TCS
Italy    : ACI
Austria    : ÖAMTC
Germany    : ADAC
Luxembourg   : ACL
Belgium    : Touring
The Netherlands   : ANWB
Great Britain   : Caravan club
 

How to subscribe?
Participating only costs 2000 euro per team consisting of two persons. This includes hotel rooms and catering from the evening of 12/9 to the morning of 20/9. If  single rooms are preferred, the costs rise to 2500 euro. In both cases transport to Barcelona and from The Hague is not included.

Main international sponsors:
Arval (lease company) – head sponsor
BP/ARAL (oil company)
FIA Foundation
Dutch Ministry of Transport
And possibly: Bridgestone, Accor, TomTom

FIA clubs may seek local/national sponsors for their teams or local events as long as there is no conflict of interest with the international sponsors.

Roadshow
Every day the EcoTour arrive at a central location in a major city. The 42 cars will be shown and some trailers will be set up with interactive elements for the public. The Ecodriven truck for example contains simulators and snack courses in ecodriving. Each day the car and the team winner will be announced by a national VIP presenter on the central stage. This in the hope to provide as much national and local free publicity as possible.

Link to congress ‘Towards Zero Emission’ in The Hague
The EcoTour will finish at the ‘Kurhaus’ in Scheveningen (The Hague), the same afternoon that ANWB organises its congress on sustainable mobility: ‘Towards Zero Emission’. About 250 international guests from ARC and FIA clubs will attend the announcement of the overall winners. 

Communication
The primary goal is to create a win/win feeling: ecodriving saves money and the environment. The EU citizens should pick up ‘greener’ driving tips and take a better look at the economical car selections in their next car decision.

The platform of communication is provided by the ANWB, the FIA countries will adapt this to their local situation. A univocal communication is secured by the development of the EcoTour logo and house style. Central device is the internet site with information, news, press releases, results, links to sponsor sites, multimedia and interactive elements. 

Communication is divided in 4 stages:
1. Announcement of EcoTour (July)
2. Announcement of teams (August)
3. EcoTour (September)
4. Follow up (October)

To achieve as much free publicity as possible a press kit will be produced. Each FIA club will be responsible for their national press contacts and in the end for the free publicity in their own country.

For example in The Netherlands the free publicity potential under consideration:
ANWB Auto   :   350.000 readers
ANWB.nl    :   500.000 viewers
Kampioen   : 4.000.000 readers
RTL 4 Television  :   350.000 viewers
Nederland 2 television  :   500.000 viewers
Telegraaf (providing team) :   750.000 viewers
BNR radio   :   300.000 listeners

Attachment 1. EcoTour: cars.
- 3 sizes: ‘Mini + supermini’, ‘Small family cars’ and ‘Family cars’
- 2 fuels: petrol and diesel
- 6 categories (3 sizes x 2 fuels)
- Within each category in principle the 7 most fuel efficient cars, according to the CO2 emission as measured during the EU type approval
- No more than 1 car of a brand in each category
- No cars that don’t comply to the Euro5-standards (e.g. PM10 < 5 mg/km)

PETROL
Mini + Supermini (petrol)  CO2-emission (type approval)
Smart ForTwo MHD   103 g/km
Daihatsu Cuore 1.0 12V   104 g/km
Peugeot 107 1.0 12V   108 g/km
Toyota Aygo 1.0    108 g/km
Citroën C1 1.0    108 g/km
Kia Picanto 1.0    117 g/km
Fiat 500 1.2 51 kW   118 g/km

Small family cars (petrol)   CO2-emission (type approval)
Toyota Prius 1.5 82 kW   104 g/km
Honda Civic 1.3i-Dsl   109 g/km
Audi A3     133 g/km
Renault Modus 1.2   134 g/km
BMW 116i    139 g/km
Seat Cordoba 1.2 44 kW   139 g/km
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 TSI   139 g/km

Family cars (petrol)    CO2-emission (type approval)
BMW 316i 90 kW     142 g/km
Audi A4 132 kW    154 g/km
Mercedes C180    155 g/km
Volkswagen Passat 1.4 TSI  157 g/km
Seat Toledo 1.4    158 g/km
Skoda Octavia 1.6 FSI    158 g/km
Mazda 6 1.8 sedan Exclusive  161 g/km

DIESEL
Mini + Supermini (diesel)   CO2-emission (type approval)
Smart fortwo (no DPF)  `  88 g/km
Seat Ibiza 1.4 TDi   99 g/km
Volkswagen Polo 1.4 TDI   99 g/km
Mini Cooper D 81 kW    104 g/km
Skoda Fabia 1.4 D   109 g/km
Fiat 500 1.3 Multijet 16v   111 g/km
Opel Corsa 1.3 CDTI ecoFLEX   119 g/km

Small family cars (diesel)    CO2-emission (type approval)
Volkswagen Golf 77 kW   115 g/km
Renault Mégane 1.5 dCi   117 g/km
Seat Leon Ecomotive   118 g/km
Fiat Idea 1.3 JTD    118 g/km
Lancia Musa 1.3 JTD   118 g/km
Audi A3 1.9 TDIe   119 g/km
BMW 118d    119 g/km

Family cars (diesel)    CO2-emission (type approval)
BMW 318d 105 kW    123 g/km
Volvo S40 1.6 D 80 kW    129 g/km
Skoda Octavia 1.9 TDi 77 kW   130 g/km
Mercedes Benz C200 CDI   133 g/km
Audi A4 88 kW    134 g/km
Volkswagen Passat 1.9 TDI  136 g/km
Ford Mondeo 1.8    139 g/km

EcoTour STATUS 19.06.2008