Think before buying your next car:

- The level of global carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) is calculated near 27,5 billion tons per annum. The contribution of United States exceeds 20% of worldwide CO2 emissions while China and EU follow with shares of 15% and 13,7% respectively. According to credible sources and surveys, global CO2 emissions will have reached 34 billion tons in 2015 and 43 billion tons in 2030. 

- When CO2 reaches the atmosphere it will remain there for 50 to 200 years while some CO2 emissions will stay there for ever.  

- A V8-engined SUV emits about 400 grams of CO2 per kilometer while a 12-cylinder supercar's emissions weigh as much as 550 gr/km. In comparison, a modern hybrid pollutes between 4 to 5 times less - emitting as low as 89 gr CO2/km. Recently, a number of models with conventional engines appeared with comparatively low CO2 levels thanks to smart engine management systems and sophisticated emissions technology. 

- For a distance of 20.000 km, a large SUV emits 7,5 tons of CO2 whereas an eco-friendly model's emissions are 2,2 tons. The above difference of 5,3 tons corresponds to the amount of CO2 emissions per passenger for the round trip New York-Tokyo. 

- A hybrid or a start/stop-equipped conventional vehicle can switch off its petrol engine and neutralize its emissions in dense traffic conditions - becoming in effect a zero emissions vehicle. 

- OECD sources estimate that the known crude oil resources will last for another 80 years. On the other hand, researchers advise that the depletion of crude oil resources will create severe geopolitical anomalies and imbalances as the world's energy map is expected to dramatically change. Experts believe that the new state of affairs might negatively affect the fate of many nations as millions of people might need to withstand severe economic conditions, suffer oppressive regimes and even pay heavy death tolls. 

- The dawn of the new millennium will mark the end of the internal combustion engine and the finale of the motor car as we know it today. It is expected that conventional vehicles will start losing ground as their market share is expected to drop in favour of hybrid and fuel cell vehicles. The days of the internal combustion engine are numbered: its market share will have dropped to 95% by 2015, 70% by 2025 and 40% by 2035. Fuel cells will be the primary propulsion system of the future as electric/hydrogen vehicles will have penetrated the world market with shares of 40% in 2030 and 60% in 2035.

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