RAC World February 2009

3619
When it comesto innovation in the motor
industry, eyes have long been ﬁxed towards the east
and the land of the rising (Nissan) Sun(ny). But, while
the coal mines in Wales have all but closed, horizons
have opened and, thanks to a genuine will to move enormous beneﬁts
with the times, ‘Taff technology’ is making a mark on in fuel consumption,
the world motoring map. ease of parking and
Five of the UK’s leading alternative transport ease of passage,’
companies are now located in Wales. They are says managing
pioneering a new approach to motoring that could director Hugh Kemp,
soon have a dramatic effect on the way we travel, who spent 20 years at
deliver goods and view our cars. From the world’s Lotus. ‘We’ve received great
ﬁrst tribrid hydrogen bus to ground-breaking tandem support from within Wales, with so
commuter vehicles and zero-emission electric vans many people eager to help set up
that can travel 50 miles for less than £1, green new businesses.’ The Rhondda Valley
technologies and their practical applications are company spearheaded the Welsh
increasingly coming out of Wales. invasion of the Alternative Fuels and
Because of the ﬂuctuating price of oil, the fragile Vehicles National Conference and Expo
global economy and the need to use more in Anaheim, California, in 2007.
sustainable energies, alternatives to the traditional Just a short bus ride from the Narrow Car
combustion engine have never been more urgently Company, a larger-scale response to the need
sought. Welsh workers (and businesses) have been for cleaner public transport has emerged.
quick to adapt to the changing environment. By The University of Glamorgan has developed
combining expertise in the ﬁelds of raw materials, the world’s ﬁrst tribrid hydrogen bus. Unveiled
manufacturing and the motor industry, they look set last June, the 16-seater minibus runs silently
to get the nation on the move again – but without and emission-free for up to 150 miles in the
damaging the environment. BY COMBINING EXPERTISE, WELSH
Among those leading the way
is the Narrow Car Company, BUSINESSES LOOK SET TO GET
which has developed one of the THE NATION ON THE MOVE AGAIN
more eye-catching innovations.
It is hoped that the tandem Naro car (see what city, at a top speed of 55mph. It is already in
they did there?) will have a dramatic effect on use, ferrying students between the campuses
urban transport. Its design combines the dynamics at Cardiff and Pontypridd.
of a bike with the comfort of a car. At just a metre The bus – called a ‘tribrid’ due to its running
wide, with a leaning system allowing increased on hydrogen fuel cells, batteries and ultra-
manoeuvrability, four wheels providing stability capacitors – is the result of a collaboration
and a top speed of 85mph delivering performance, of pioneering Welsh companies. The
the Naro is seen as the perfect response to lead acid battery was researched
commuters getting all hot under the collar in in Ebbw Vale, the lightweight,
trafﬁc jams, before driving in endless circles, carbon-ﬁbre covers
desperately seeking the last ludicrously priced designed and produced
parking space in the city. in Ross-on-Wye (okay,
The Narrow Car Company could be on to a not Wales, but close
winner, with the ‘sub-car’ market expected to boom enough), while the
in coming years. ‘We’re developing a car that vehicle shell was»
helps beat congestion and offers the driver provided by
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18-20 Wales V2 RAC8.indd 19 20/2/09 21:18:29
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