We have to admit to being a little sceptical of some hybrids. For example, 2007’s Honda Accord Hybrid managed to get a mileage of 1 mpg better than the four-cylinder petrol model and 2 mpg than the V6, according to Consumer Reports. So when Tesla announced its roadster in 2006, we thought it’d be a shoo-in for the Lucire Car to Be Seen in award in 2007: it was a zero-emission solution that didn’t use petrol at all. 
   Renault has made some headway recently with its research and development. Last year, it announced its Eco² label (eco², if you are to follow Renault’s convention), enabling ‘customers to identify the most environmentally friendly cars’. A few weeks back, it unveiled its the Scénic ZEV H2 prototype, powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, emitting only water vapour.
   While some companies have made similar headway on hydrogen—BMW and Honda have prototypes on the road and Honda says it will have a car on the market within the next year—Renault has been pretty serious about its efforts. In Israel, it teamed up with Project Better Place, which aims to build 500,000 electric charging stations for its electric cars.
   The company adds, ‘Earlier this year, Renault also signed a joint-venture with SITA, a subsidiary of Suez Environnement, which aims to accelerate the incorporation of end-of-life vehicle (ELV) recycling into operations. Renault’s manufacturing sites have also kept up their efforts and have now all secured ISO 14001 environmental certi?cation.’
   These videos show the Scénic prototype along with some Eco² models.

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