From: ay...@extra.lafn.org (Environmental News)
Subject: E-Link: 1998 Green Vehicle Guide Released
Date: 1998/03/19
Message-ID: <a19_9803181844@extra.lafn.org>
X-Deja-AN: 335456935
Organization: ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS <ay903 @ lafn org>
Newsgroups: talk.environment
1998 GREEN VEHICLE GUIDE RELEASED
WASHINGTON, DC, March 17, 1998 (ENS) - The most environmentally friendly
vehicle sold in the United States is an electric car, the General Motors
EV1, according to a new consumer guide that provides the first-ever
comprehensive environmental ratings for cars and light trucks.
And the worst vehicle for the environment is a Ford Motors product, the
Lincoln Navigator, a 5.4 litre 8 cylinder engine that gets 12 miles to a
gallon of gasoline in the city and 16 mpg on the highway.
These rankings are in a new book published by the American Council for an
Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). Released today to offer car buyers a
practical guide, The Green Guide to Cars and Trucks contains Green Score
rankings for every 1998 vehicle sold in the United States.
"We've started the Green Guide in anticipation of a Green Revolution in
automotive technology," said Howard Geller, executive director of ACEEE.
"By providing Green Scores for every model, we hope to influence consumer
choice and encourage automakers to provide cleaner and more fuel-efficient
vehicles." AEEE is an independent, nonprofit research group that works to
advance energy efficiency as a means of environmental protection and
economic development.
The Green Score is based on a vehicle's air pollution health costs, global
warming pollution, and other specifications. The guide's tables are
arranged by vehicle class and cover cars, station wagons, vans, pickup
trucks, and sport utility vehicles.
The ratings published in the Green Guide are based on emissions
certificates and fuel economy data which automakers report to the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
"Our guide fills a void in current consumer car-buying information," said
John DeCicco, ACEEE's Transportation Program director and an author of the
Green Guide. "Consumers can now comparison shop with the environment in mind."
Of the top 12 greenest vehicles, six are electric cars and two run on
compressed natural gas.
The top 12 are:
1. GM EV-1 electric
2. Honda Civic GX CNG compressed natural gas
3. Toyota RAV4 EV electric
4. Chevrolet S10 pickup EV electric
5. Ford Ranger pickup EV electric
6. Honda EV Plus electric
7. Chevrolet Metro 1.0 liter, 3 cylinder, manual transmission
8. Ford Crown Victoria CNG compressed natural gas
9. Suzuki Swift 1.3 liter, 4 cylinder, manual
10. Chrysler Epic EV electric
11. Mitsubishi Mirage 1.5 liter, 4 cylinder, manual
12. Honda Civic 1.6 liter, 4 cylinder, manual
DeCicco said the Green Guide's listings can "empower consumers to make
greener choices" by
providing:
* The "Best of 1998" featuring the greenest models by vehicle class:
compact, mid-size, large cars; vans; pickups; and sport utilities
* The top 12 overall greenest vehicles in 1998
* The 12 worst vehicles for the environment in 1998
* Tips on keeping your vehicle running cleanly and efficiently
* Listings for electric and alternatively fueled vehicles, as well as
gasoline and diesel vehicles
* Practical advice about how to buy green when shopping for a new car or
light truck
* Information on the environmental impacts of motor vehicles, including
global warming and the health effects of vehicle pollution
With growing concerns about the climate-threatening effects of fossil fuel
use and persistent air pollution in many parts of the country, automakers
have begun offering models that meet tighter tailpipe pollution standards,
such as LEVs (low emission vehicles) and ULEVs (ultra-low emission vehicles).
"The Green Guide to Cars and Trucks covers it all and helps buyers cut
through the alphabet soup of LEVs and MPGs," said Martin Thomas, ACEEE
research assistant and coauthor. "Not all options are available everywhere,
but the Green Guide makes it easy to find the greenest model that meets
your needs."
"By greener we mean cleaner and more fuel efficient," noted DeCicco, "so
greener cars will often save consumers money as well."
According to Jack Gillis, Public Affairs Director of the Consumer
Federation of America and author of The Car Book, "Just as auto safety
emerged as a major selling point in the 1980s, we are convinced that
environmental performance will be a major buying factor in the future."
The Green Guide to Cars and Trucks: Model Year 1998 will be distributed
nationwide. Contact: ACEEE Publications, 1001 Connecticut Ave. N.W., Suite
801, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 202-429-0063, Fax: 202-429-0193. E-mail:
ace3...@ix.netcom.com; Website: http://aceee.org/greenguide
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