The ultra-efficient Seat Leon Ecomotive

Lower CO2 emissions will mean a lower annual tax bill from £115 to £35 while the reduction in fuel consumption has led Seat to claim the car could theoretically boast a 900 mile range before refuelling

Buyers looking for a car with Green credentials have a range of choice which would have been unthinkable a few years ago – and can now add the Seat Leon Ecomotive to their options.

Seat launched its first production Green car, the Seat Ibiza last year, and has applied the same technology to its five-door family hatchback to create the Seat Leon Ecomotive.

We drove the Seat Leon Ecomotive at its launch in Spain this week.

Electricity, bioethanol and hydrogen are just three of the alternative fuel sources manufacturers are developing as an alternative to the big two energy sources – diesel and petrol.

But some car makers believe there is life in the old combustion engine yet and that increasing efficiencies in conjunction with other measures, can form the basis for pleasurable, economical and environmentally-friendly motoring.

Last year the Volkswagen Polo  Bluemotion was launched amid a fanfare of publicity heralding its impressively frugal fuel consumption – quickly followed by a Golf model, and we can also expect to see the Ford Focus Econetic advance environmentally-friendly motoring for Britain’s best-selling car.

Subtle design differences

This summer will also see the launch of Seat’s second foray into Green motoring in the shape of the Seat Leon Ecomotive.

The Spanish car maker (part of the same company as Volkswagen) has won many fans with its stylish, sporty hatchback and it is hoping to broaden that base with buyers keen to look after the planet while keeping down their fuel and tax bills down.

However, it has also taken the view that not all Green car buyers want to be seen as Green motorists and on first sight the Seat Leon Ecomotive looks little different from its parent car.

Only a rear-mounted badge and different wheels and tyres reveal the car is not the standard model, while inside, although the specification for the model has not been finalised the car is likely to look little different from others in the range, if at all.

Better MPG, Less CO2 emissions
 
Most of the model’s differences are concealed beneath the bonnet and are highlighted by the two headline figures – an increase in average mileage from 56.5mpg to 62.8mpg (with a best 76.3mpg driven at optimum speeds) and a reduction of CO2 emissions from 135g/km to 119g/km.

Lower CO2 emissions will mean a lower annual tax bill from £115 to £35 while the reduction in fuel consumption has led Seat to claim the car could theoretically boast a 900 mile range before refuelling. It is also still possible it could be exempt from the London Congestion Charge if the limit is set at 120g/km.

These figures have been achieved by adjustments in four areas: engine, gearbox, weight and tyres.

The Seat Leon Ecomotive is powered by a 105bhp 1.9-litre TDI engine, which comes from the existing Seat range.

However, Seat has overhauled the turbodiesel power source, with the aim of maximising efficiency while adding a diesel particulate filter to reduce emissions from the exhaust.

Longer gearing

It has also revamped the five-speed manual gearbox so changing to higher gears occurs at higher speeds, and that alone accounts for nearly half of the CO2 savings.

This took a little getting used to on our test drive launch in Barcelona, Spain. However, as soon as we were accustomed to using fifth gear more as a high-speed cruising gear than in the regular 1.9-litre diesel it presented no problems.

The third part of the CO2 reduction involved reducing the weight of the Seat Leon Ecomotive from the 1,405kg of the existing model to 1,320kg by the removal of options including 17-inch alloy wheels.

And finally, as with the Seat Ibiza Ecomotive, special low rolling resistance tyres and 15-inch wheels (the existing 1.9-litre TDI features 16-inch wheels) contribute to the reduction in CO2 emissions.

Faster 0-62mph

You’d be forgiven for assuming this environmentally-friendly motoring compromises performance. But the reverse is true.

Where the standard 1.9-litre TDI covers 0-62mph in 11.3 seconds with a top speed of 114mph. The Seat Leon Ecomotive completes the sprint in 10.9 seconds and boasts an increased maximum speed of 115mph.

In fact, beyond the gearbox changes and improved acceleration the driver will have difficulty telling Ecomotive and conventional models apart.

Seat says exploiting existing technology – rather than investing in hybrid research and development - has enabled it to minimise the premium paid on the Seat Leon Ecomotive and although it has yet to announce prices for the car it is expected to retail at around £14,500.

This is £855 more than the Seat Leon Reference model with which it is likely to share or exceed trim levels - to include air conditioning, six speaker CD/radio and electrically-adjusted heated door mirrors.

View more pictures of the Seat Leon Ecomotive