Diesel Technology Forum Congratulates Volkswagen Passat TDI Clean Diesel for Being Selected as a "2012 Clean Car of the Year" Finalist

2012 Nominees Are Ford Focus Electric, Honda Civic Natural Gas, Mitsubishi i, Toyota Prius v and Volkswagen Passat TDI

WASHINGTON--Oct. 24, 2011: The Diesel Technology Forum is congratulating Volkswagen for having its 2012 Passat TDI clean diesel named as one of five finalists for the 2012 Green Car of the Year Award, which will be presented at the Los Angeles Auto Show in December.

The five nominees are the:

• 2012 Ford Focus Electric
• 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas
• 2012 Mitsubishi i
• 2012 Toyota Prius v
• 2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI

"These are five excellent green and fuel efficient cars and all are worthy of their nominations," said Allen Schaeffer, Executive Director of the Diesel Technology Forum. "These finalists represent the remarkably diverse options of green autos now available to consumers -- clean diesels, electric vehicles, hybrids and natural gas.

"However, at the Diesel Technology Forum we're a little partial to the clean diesel nominee, especially considering that two of the previous three Green Car of the Year winners were also clean diesels - the Audi A3 TDI in 2009 and the VW Jetta TDI in 2008.

"It's easy to understand why the VW Passat TDI was selected - its outstanding combination of driving experience, proven fuel economy (43 mpg) and nearly 800 mile range, in an all newly redesigned affordable four-door family sedan that's made in America."

The annual award is presented by The Green Car Journal and nominees are selected by the publications editors and a panel of leaders from national environmental organizations. Models are considered that feature improved environmental impact and increased efficiencies.

More Clean Diesels Are Coming To America
"In addition to the five finalists, there are a number of other green cars that also would have been first-rate nominees for this award," Schaeffer said. "It's a tribute to many in the auto industry that so many green and efficient cars are being produced for the U.S. market.

"In the coming years there will be even more clean diesel cars available in the U.S. which will be worthy candidates for The Green Car of the Year award. New clean diesel entries into the U.S. market will be the hot-selling Chevrolet Cruze available in 2013, and Mazda has also announced that its SKY-D clean diesel engine will be available here in the 2013 timeframe as a new option in one or more vehicles. And the S350 BlueTEC marks the return of the diesel-powered Mercedes-Benz S-Class to the United States after a 17-year absence.

"While most auto makers have clean diesel autos on the market in Europe, Asia and Australia, there are rumors that even more diesels are on their way to the U.S. market," Schaeffer said.

A new economic report recently issued by the Diesel Technology Forum forecasts a significant increase in U.S. clean diesel auto sales. Currently, only 3.4 percent of the cars in the U.S. are diesel-powered. Diesel accounts for a larger share of pickup trucks (13.6 percent). However, clean diesel sales increased 37 percent during the first eight months of 2011 compared to the same period in 2010, while the overall automobile market increased just 10.4 percent. Some analysts predict that diesel passenger cars will account for between seven to 10 percent of the market by 2015.

According to the new economic report: "As policymakers look to promote cleaner, more fuel efficient technologies, (diesel's) use will grow along with other competitive alternatives. National fuel economy standards for cars and light-duty trucks beginning in 2017 are expected to be met in part by an increasing number of clean diesel passenger vehicle choices."

ABOUT THE DIESEL TECHNOLOGY FORUM
The Diesel Technology Forum is a non-profit national organization dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of diesel engines, fuel and technology. Forum members are leaders in clean diesel technology and represent the three key elements of the modern clean-diesel system: advanced engines, vehicles and equipment, cleaner diesel fuel and emissions-control systems.