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back to article No, BMW, petrol-engined cars don't 'give back to the environment'

BMW claims that its electric i3 car has “zero emissions” and is a “really clean car [that] helps to give back to the environment”. Ad regulators have ordered it never to say that again – pointing to the Beemer’s petrol-fuelled auxiliary engine. The Advertising Standards Authority declared that the BMW i3’s “range extender”, a …

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  1. Pascal Monett Silver badge

    Nice to see some backbone here

    I can't say I don't like Beemers, but I will readily admit that this is pushing things too far.

    First of all, I have yet to hear how heavy-metal-polluting batteries are any better for the environment than carbon-monoxide emissions. Then there's the fact that, yeah, an electric car containing a fossil-fuel-burning engine is definitely not a zero-emission car.

    So good on the regulators for stomping on this nonsense.

    It's hard enough to be ecological as is without needing marketing to muck things up even more.

    71 2 Reply
    1. macjules
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      Re: Nice to see some backbone here

      Strange how BMW do this on the same day as LEVC are announcing their new "green" London taxi. Like the BMW the LEVC is electric with a "generator" acting as a "range extender".

      15 0 Reply
      1. Alan Brown Silver badge
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        Re: Nice to see some backbone here

        The LEVC units are intended to be electric in the smog zone with the generator only operating outside the congestion area.

        In that respect they're low polluting, but only just.

        14 2 Reply
      2. David 132 Silver badge
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        Re: Nice to see some backbone here

        Like the BMW the LEVC is electric with a "generator" acting as a "range extender"

        Well, on that principle, my car is also green. It has a 12v battery that gives it limited electric-only range (as long as I crank the starter motor with it in gear) and an inline-6, 3-litre, 325hp range extender motor.

        No need to thank me, Mother Gaia. Just happy to do my bit.

        62 1 Reply
      3. Captain Scarlet
        Reply Icon

        Re: Nice to see some backbone here

        "LEVC is electric with a "generator" acting as a "range extender""

        I didn't know that from the BBC news piece about it, I was wondering how they would get their 600 mile claimed range between charges, why not just be honest and call it a hybrid?

        7 0 Reply
        1. Anonymous Coward
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          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Nice to see some backbone here

          "why not just be honest and call it a hybrid"

          Generally speaking, hybrid is understood to be a dual drive system. In the generator versions (where the engine doesn't drive the wheels directly), it's a series-hybrid.

          Arguable, they are far better than a normal hybrid, as you can run the engine constantly at its most fuel efficient rpm, which you can't do on a regular car, hybrid or otherwise.

          4 2 Reply
    2. Faux Science Slayer
      Reply Icon

      "Green Prince of Darkness" at FauxScienceSlayer > photovoltaic fraud

      There is NO greenhouse gas, NO green energy and NO peak oil.

      "Becoming A TOTAL Earth Science Skeptic" at FauxScienceSlayer

      "Fracturing the Fossil Fuel Fable" on Abiogenic Oil on Earth

      3 19 Reply
      1. The First Dave
        Reply Icon
        Boffin

        Re: "Green Prince of Darkness" at FauxScienceSlayer > photovoltaic fraud

        There are no dinosaurs left to liquefy, so "Peak Oil" is most definitely a thing, whether we have reached it yet or not.

        1 1 Reply
  2. A K Stiles
    Meh

    "He's not the messiah!"

    I wonder if they told them to go and sit on the naughty step too?

    Punitive penalties to be applied to the head of marketing through to the CEO (or equivalent) including everyone who has an approval of such statements as are determined erroneous. Maybe then they'll stop makingsh it up!

    25 0 Reply
    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: "He's not the messiah!"

      Can you imagine the arse-ache if you had to involve the head of marketing and CEO in every single external statement? This isn't just adverts either, it's brochures, manuals, etc, etc...

      0 2 Reply
      1. Red Bren
        Reply Icon
        Pirate

        Re: "He's not the messiah!"

        Big cheeses are more than happy to take credit for corporate success due to their "guiding influence" when salaries and bonuses are being decided, even if they weren't involved with the minute details. But the moment there's a hint of corporate failure, it's always the fault of "rogue employees" who kept us in the dark, with no questions asked about oversight, who hired them or why, and who benefited most from the "rogue" behaviour.

        "Your department is performing unexpectedly well this quarter. Is there anything you want to tell me?" said no CEO, ever!

        6 1 Reply
      2. Ken Hagan Gold badge
        Reply Icon

        Re: "He's not the messiah!"

        "if you had to involve the head of marketing and CEO in every single external statement"

        Why would you need to do that? Ad content isn't generally a legal matter, but for those things that are, the directors are (and always have been) legally liable for the actions of employees, whether they keep tabs on the employees or not. All companies already operate under this regime and the sky has not fallen in.

        1 0 Reply
        1. Anonymous Coward
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          Anonymous Coward

          Re: "He's not the messiah!"

          "Why would you need to do that? Ad content isn't generally a legal matter"

          I think this article just proved it is.

          4 0 Reply
  3. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

    It does give back to the environment

    It liberates Carbon that has been trapped underground for millions of years and recycles it into a vital food source for plants and trees

    85 0 Reply
    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: It does give back to the environment

      True without CO2 there would be no life on earth, and it should to told at all instances of this type of stupidity.

      16 20 Reply
      1. HamsterNet
        Reply Icon

        Re: It does give back to the environment

        Not all life, just most. Whole communities living around deep-sea vents would be just fine.

        24 2 Reply

        1. This post has been deleted by its author

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Reply Icon
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: It does give back to the environment

        Without some level of ionising radiation there would *also* be no life on Earth.

        10 0 Reply
    2. Paul Hovnanian Silver badge
      Reply Icon

      Re: It does give back to the environment

      And don't forget nitrogen fixation, upon which plant life depends.

      3 1 Reply
    3. macjules
      Reply Icon

      Re: It does give back to the environment

      Well, technically, we ALL give back to the environment then. We ingest carbon-form fuels, refine them and then output the result as carbon, microbe-rich nutrients for recycling.

      5 1 Reply
      1. Sir Runcible Spoon
        Reply Icon
        Joke

        Re: It does give back to the environment

        Well yes, apart from the CO2, ionisation, and nitrogen fixation, what has the planet ever done for us?

        8 0 Reply
        1. bombastic bob Silver badge
          Reply Icon
          Trollface

          Re: It does give back to the environment

          "what has the planet ever done for us?"

          stupid gravity making things fall all of the time.

          I give "the environment" my big middle finger! And I'll give back everything I use up, when I throw what's left of it into the trash can, or excrete it into the porcelain bowl. (at least it goes into a designated place afterwards; animals just 'give back' wherever the hell they feel like it, except when humans pick it up afterwards).

          [this whole 'giving back' concept is nauseating anyway, like a bunch of sappy guilt-motivating psycho-babble]

          3 2 Reply
  4. Hans Neeson-Bumpsadese Silver badge

    Seeing as it's a BMW, it does conserve some energy by never ever powering the indicators

    127 1 Reply
    1. hplasm
      Reply Icon
      Pint

      Seeing as it's a BMW,...

      Damn! Beat me to it...

      11 0 Reply
      1. Aladdin Sane
        Reply Icon

        Re: Seeing as it's a BMW,...

        Not forgetting the efficiency gains from tailgating.

        64 0 Reply
        1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge
          Reply Icon

          Re: Seeing as it's a BMW,...

          And they save the weight of a hybrid system by never braking

          14 0 Reply
        2. eJ2095
          Reply Icon

          Re: Seeing as it's a BMW,...

          And not having to brake at red lights as they just change over

          2 0 Reply
        3. SharkNose
          Reply Icon

          Re: Seeing as it's a BMW,...

          Audi's are by far the most efficient cars in this regard, they also make efficient use of the space in the outside lane by ensuring no more than 1mm is wasted between their front bumper and the car in front...

          3 1 Reply
          1. Sir Runcible Spoon
            Reply Icon
            Joke

            Re: Seeing as it's a BMW,...

            I bought a BMW a few months ago, and I still haven't managed to break the habit of indicating!

            5 0 Reply
        4. bombastic bob Silver badge
          Reply Icon
          Facepalm

          Re: Seeing as it's a BMW,...

          and going WAY too damn slow on the curvy parts of windy rural roads (like Highway 1 in Cali-fornicate-you), but WAY too damn fast on the straight parts, so NOBODY! ELSE! CAN! PASS! (unless you're me, and you do it ANYWAY, at 95MPH going uphill, so that the BMW and its arrogant self-centered driver can't stop me)

          icon, because, facepalm

          2 3 Reply
    2. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge
      Reply Icon
      Flame

      Don't BMW make up for the lack of energy required for their indicators by having the brightest headlights in the world...

      57 0 Reply
      1. DangerousDave
        Reply Icon

        Re: BMW headlights.

        No, that disinction belongs to Audi . . . .

        0 0 Reply
    3. Christoph
      Reply Icon

      And it comes with free personal ownership of thousands of miles of roads.

      67 0 Reply
      1. Nick Ryan Silver badge
        Reply Icon

        Not forgetting the right to park wherever the owner feels like or, should they lower themselves socially to use marked parking bays that non-disabled, non-parents are permitted to use, that they may use two or more of them.

        20 0 Reply
        1. Terry 6 Silver badge
          Reply Icon

          And don't forget the right to turn right from a left hand lane ( or equivalent where driving is on the other side of the road) at a junction.

          4 0 Reply
    4. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      They have indicators?

      Who knew?

      49 0 Reply
      1. TRT Silver badge
        Reply Icon

        I was driving behind an Audi TFSi the other day...

        I spent ages trying to work out what kind of engine that badge mark meant, then as we reached our fifth turning together, I realised that it means "This Fucker Seldom indicates".

        62 0 Reply
        1. Paul Crawford Silver badge
          Reply Icon
          Coat

          Re: I was driving behind an Audi TFSi the other day...

          Achtung! Untrained Driver Inside!

          Yes, I'll go get my cost and leave...

          20 0 Reply
          1. Timbo
            Reply Icon

            Re: I was driving behind an Audi TFSi the other day...

            AUDI - Another Useless Driver Inside or Attention: User Doesn't Indicate!

            FIAT - Fix it Again Tomorrow

            BMW - Black Mans Wheels

            There's more here: https://jalopnik.com/5879789/the-definitive-guide-to-derogatory-auto-acronyms

            7 3 Reply
        2. Packet
          Reply Icon

          Re: I was driving behind an Audi TFSi the other day...

          I just looked up what it means - and I prefer your version.

          I always figured the T meant 'turbo' and the I meant 'injection' but I never really thought beyond that.

          3 0 Reply
          1. Anonymous Coward
            Reply Icon
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: I was driving behind an Audi TFSi the other day...

            Turbo Fuel Sucking injection?

            12 0 Reply
        3. Anonymous Coward
          Reply Icon
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: I was driving behind an Audi TFSi the other day...

          Wait till one of those wankers is driving behind you on the motorway....

          7 0 Reply
      2. Paul Crawford Silver badge
        Reply Icon
        Joke

        Re: They have indicators?

        That is how you spot the unmarked police cars, they are the only ones with working indicators.

        36 0 Reply
    5. Bob Wheeler
      Reply Icon
      Joke

      "indicators"

      BMW's are fitted with the new anti-dazzle indicators

      12 0 Reply
    6. MJI Silver badge
      Reply Icon

      I used to own all the roads

      As the car I had at the time was popular with Police.

      I could carve through heavy traffic better than any BMW as it was not my fault that my silver painted car was the same colour as a next door country traffic cars.

      2 0 Reply
      1. ChrisC Silver badge
        Reply Icon

        Re: I used to own all the roads

        I experienced the same sort of Moses-like parting of the traffic back in the days when I owned Vauxhall Omegas. Ahh, happy days...

        2 0 Reply
        1. MJI Silver badge
          Reply Icon

          Re: I used to own all the roads

          I had a few but only the late version did this.

          1 0 Reply
        2. Terry 6 Silver badge
          Reply Icon

          Re: I used to own all the roads

          When I owned a battered, dented Morris Marina there was no trouble with cars wanting to get in my way, carve me up etc. Funny that.

          1 0 Reply
  5. DNTP

    The only way to make cars give back to the environment

    is to have fewer cars, and design things to be less reliant on cars. Everything else is a lie told by liars.

    Unfortunately where I live, spending money on public transit might as well be as popular as supporting communism. And this is a place in the US that actually has a 'good' system!

    29 6 Reply
    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: The only way to make cars give back to the environment

      Unfortunately where I live, spending money on public transit might as well be as popular as supporting communism. And this is a place in the US that actually has a 'good' system!

      Well, communal transport.....they have a point.

      No wonder people in the US struggle not to shoot eachother on sight, if their loathing for comunal services is so great.

      Perhaps also the why of the recent 'neoliberal' lables, as there can't possibly be any Socialists in a Republican Utopia (McCarthy saw to that).

      10 3 Reply

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