Green Car Journal: Attention Turning to Super-Clean Gasoline Vehicles

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif., Sept. 22 -- Safety, quality, comfort, and performance are the touchstones that most often drive buying decisions at today's new car showrooms. But environment? That's been lost in the crowd since the internal combustion automobile was first devised.

This is set to change with the advent of ever-cleaner, and "greener," models being designed and sold by major automakers, says Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of the new full-color consumer magazine, Green Car Journal.

Examples of these environmentally conscious cars, trucks, and SUVs, as well as a glimpse of our future in the form of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, are being showcased this week at the Challenge Bibendum event being held at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California.

"Fuel cell vehicles are an important window to our future," says Cogan. "The production and concept fuel cell vehicles competing in the Challenge Bibendum clearly symbolize the countdown taking place as these zero-emission vehicles head to market."

While fuel cell vehicles make their inexorable drive toward commercialization, Cogan points out that it's crucial to also remain focused on the automobiles we drive today.

"Our buying habits today can help drive a vehicle's environmental credentials from being barely a blip on the transaction radar to something that automakers must reckon with as they design and build new models," adds Cogan. "Fortunately, new car buyers in many states can already voice their desire for 'green' vehicles by choosing to buy or lease any one of the Partial Zero Emission Vehicles (PZEVs) at showrooms today."

PZEVs, popular gasoline-fueled internal combustion engine models with emissions so low they're barely measurable, are currently offered by BMW, Ford, Honda, Nissan, Subaru, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Volvo.

Ultimately, Cogan points out that the auto industry itself holds a big responsibility in getting PZEV vehicles in the hands of consumers through advertising and marketing geared toward driving clean vehicle sales. He also points out that the increasing number of gasoline-fueled PZEV models is creating a shift in the way that automakers are viewing these vehicles.

"Now, rather than simply a regulatory compliance tool or an enhancement to environmental positioning, these ultra-clean gasoline vehicles are, for the first time, driving competition between manufacturers on the showroom floor," says Cogan. "This creates an opportunity for automakers to distinguish their near-zero emission models from their competitors. Super-clean PZEV technology needs to become as much a part of automobile advertising and promotion as quality, safety, comfort, and performance have before it."

A new quarterly publication by the editors of the award-winning Green Car Journal newsletter -- a leading information source for the auto industry since 1991 -- the full-color Green Car Journal consumer magazine aims at new car buyers interested in hybrid electric, low emission, advanced technology, and high fuel economy vehicles. The premier issue's table of contents and sample articles can be viewed online at www.greencar.com .