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Car manufacturers are split on what’s the next big thing for green motoring. While some are putting a huge amount of effort into hydrogen fuel cells, others are concentrating on electric vehicles.

It’s true that electric-powered cars are far cheaper to run than petrol/diesel machines, but the problem still remains of producing that juice –power stations aren’t exactly known for their planet-hugging credentials!

However, electric cars could provide the stop-gap needed while carmakers research alternatives further. Hydrogen fuel cell technology, which converts hydrogen and oxygen into electricity to power the car, is already possible, but the it is expensive and cells fragile.

Another option available to manufacturers is the wider compatibility of bio-fuel with their existing models. Bioethanol, an alcohol distilled from wheat, maize sugar or beet can be used in petrol cars and for derv-drinkers, bio-diesel made from naturally-produced oils like rapeseed, palm or recycled cooking fat is available.

This is far cheaper than fossil fuels, greener and is already produced across the UK. In fact around five per cent of the fuel you fill up with at forecourts is bio-based, but carmakers are reluctant to allow larger percentages to be used in their engines. If manufacturers relaxed warranty stipulations on the use of bio-fuel, invested further in compatibility testing and forecourts stocked stronger blends, motoring would instantly become greener.

One thing’s quite clear, though. With governments, both here in the UK and in the US, attaching green strings to aid packages for troubled firms, car manufacturers are going to have to concentrate on building eco cars whether they like it or not.