Limo firm goes green

Australia has its first environmentally friendly hire car a silky- smooth Lexus GS450h. Melbourne company Ecolimo is aiming provide a green alternative for people who are interested in reducing carbon emissions. The Ecolimo GS450h is powered by a 3.5-litre petrol V6 and two 147kW electric motors and boasts impressive fuel economy, low emissions and quietness with high performance. It has 22 per cent more power than the most powerful model in the Australian Lexus range and its combined fuel-consumption is 7.9 litres/100km. In July this year, the Australian Government Green Vehicle Guide awarded the Lexus GS450h a prestigious 4 and 1/2-star rating, placing the car alongside 1.8-litre/100kW vehicles. Ecolimo’s founder Don Pyke has more than 20 years as a professional driver and he says it shouldn’t cost more to choose the green alternative because his service is priced to be competitive with other limousine or hire-car companies.

”People who care about the environment and are interested in reducing their impact on it can feel confident they have made a good choice without compromising quality or comfort,” Pyke says. Lexus Australia divisional manager Scott Grant says Ecolimo will allow more people to enjoy the benefits of Lexus drive and expose people to the comfort and luxury of Lexus vehicles. ”At Lexus, we are dedicated to the concept of hybrid technology and to see more Lexus hybrids on the road is a fantastic thing. ”We can guarantee this will not only be helping the environment, but will be an unparalleled experience in terms of vehicle quality and performance