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Long Beach Buys 32 Honda Civic GX Natural Gas Fueled Vehicles

25 August 1998

Gas and Electric Department Buys 32 Honda Civic GX Natural Gas Fueled Vehicles for Its Clean Air Fleet

                     Emissions From All 32 Cars Combined
                    Are Less Than One Gasoline-Powered Car

    LONG BEACH, Calif., Aug. 25 -- Continuing its long commitment
to clean air vehicle use, the City of Long Beach has purchased 32 Honda Civic
GX cars powered by natural gas for its city fleet.
    The Civic GX was recently certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) as the cleanest internal combustion vehicle ever tested, with
total emissions approximately one-tenth of California's stringent Ultra-Low
Emission Vehicle (ULEV) standard.
    "Long Beach is committed to reducing air pollution and the City's cost to
operate motor vehicles," said Mayor Beverly O'Neill.  "These dedicated natural
gas vehicles provide significant pollution reduction and cost savings
benefits."
    Because clean fuel reduces engine wear and tear, natural gas vehicles tend
to have lower maintenance costs.  And, since the Civic GX runs exclusively on
natural gas -- as opposed to flex- or bi-fuel vehicles -- every mile driven is
virtually pollution free.
    The 32 natural gas Civics are currently in use by the City's Planning and
Building, Parks, Recreation and Marine, Public Works and Gas and Electric
departments.
    "We tested a vehicle for one year and found it to be an outstanding
performer," said Dennis Hill, manager of the Fleet Services Bureau for the
City of Long Beach Public Works Department.  "It's a good, practical car for
our use around the city in stop-and-go traffic."
    By deciding to purchase dedicated natural gas vehicles, Long Beach was
able to take advantage of a $3,000 per vehicle incentive offered by the South
Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) to encourage the use of clean
air vehicles.
    According to emissions levels confirmed by the California Air Resources
Board (CARB), the 32 Civic GX cars combined will emit fewer pollutants than
just one of the gasoline-powered vehicles they replaced.
    "They're clean, they're compact, they're easy to drive, and they're
extremely reliable," said Paul Smock, coordinator of alternative fuels for the
Long Beach Gas and Electric Department.
    For Honda, the development of the 1998 Civic GX was the result of more
than four years of research in partnership with natural gas utility fleets
across the U.S.
    "Honda has long been on the leading edge of developing environmentally
friendly vehicles with real world applications," said Tom Elliott, executive
vice president of American Honda.  "Developing a natural gas-powered vehicle
was the next logical step for Honda engineers, and has resulted in the
cleanest vehicle ever made with an internal combustion engine."
    Built at the Honda of America Manufacturing, Inc., plant in East Liberty,
Ohio, the Honda Civic GX has more than 90 percent domestic content.  Its 110
horsepower engine runs exclusively on compressed natural gas and has a "real
world" driving range of about 200 miles.  The Civic GX comes fully equipped
with dual airbags, AM/FM stereo, power windows and door locks, air
conditioning and many other standard features.