Lotus unveils ice CIV ski buggy...

The sports car manufacturer Lotus has unveiled its latest creation: a propeller-powered ski buggy.

The Concept Ice Vehicle (CIV) measures 4.5 metres by 4.5 metres, can travel at up to 84 miles per hour (135 km/h) over snow and ice and runs on biofuel.

The Lotus Concept Ice Vehicle (CIV)

At 350 kilogrammes (790lb), it is light enough to be pulled by hand over bumpy areas and has a radar that can spot crevasses under the ice to ensure it does not come unstuck.

It has been developed by a former Formula One chassis designer for an expedition to the South Pole planned by veterans Andrew Moon and Andrew Regan.

Both men have journeyed to the North and South Poles before, and led a record-breaking expedition to the South Pole in 2005 using the Ice Challenger, a six-wheeled scientific support vehicle.

This time, the CIV will act as a pilot for two Science Support Vehicles and Moon and Regan hope their mission will raise awareness about climate change as well as the viability of biofuels.

The E85 bioethanol fuel used in the CIV can reduce emissions by around 70 per cent compared with ordinary petrol.

"If you can run bio-fuels successfully in the most harsh and extreme environment in the world, then there is no reason why you can't use them to get to the supermarket," Regan said.