USA, Los Angeles
American Honda, manufacturer of the natural gas powered Honda Civic GX, has earned the title of America’s “2007 Greenest Automaker” from the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) for the fourth consecutive time. The award is given by the UCS on a biennial basis to the company with the lowest overall production of smog-forming emissions and global warming emissions (primarily CO2) in its U.S. automobile fleet.
“Honda remains the greenest U.S. automaker. The company installs clean technology across its entire fleet of cars and trucks and that consistency makes it a top environmental performer. Honda is one of only two automakers to have better-than-average global warming scores in every class of vehicles it sold in MY2005,” said Don MacKenzie, a vehicles engineer with the Union of Concerned Scientists. “In addition, Honda continues to have the best smog score in four out of the five classes.”
Honda is committed to remaining a leader in the development and application of new technologies that address three critical environmental challenges: improving fuel efficiency to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming; reducing smog-forming emissions to address air pollution; and advancing real-world alternatives to gasoline to promote energy sustainability.
Reducing CO2 Emissions
In May 2006, Honda became the first automaker to publicly announce voluntary targets for the reduction of CO2 emissions by 2010 from both its products and production operations. Specifically, the company is targeting a five percent reduction in CO2 emissions for its global automobile fleet from 2005 levels, on top of a five percent reduction achieved in the 2000-2005 time period. The company also will work toward a 10 percent reduction for motorcycles and power products from 2000 levels by 2010.
Promoting Alternative Fuels
For the past eight years, Honda has marketed the ultra-clean, natural gas-powered Civic GX, the only dedicated alternative fuel vehicle available to U.S. consumers in all 50 states. Further, the Civic GX is marketed to consumers in California and New York with the innovative Phill™ home refueling appliance. Natural gas is an abundant and clean-burning domestic fuel with 25 percent less CO2 emissions and 30-50 percent lower operating costs than gasoline.
Honda is also pacing the industry in the development of alternative fuel technologies. The Honda FCX is the first fuel cell vehicle to be certified by U.S. EPA for regular commercial use, and the first to be placed in the hands of individual customers. Those customers include the world’s first fuel cell family, the Spallinos of Redondo Beach, California, and the world’s youngest fuel cell customer, 17-year-old actress Q'orianka Kilcher. In 2008, Honda will introduce its next generation fuel cell vehicle, based on the futuristically-styled FCX Concept. Powered by a more compact, powerful and efficient, Honda-developed, V Flow™ fuel cell stack, the new Honda fuel cell vehicle will rival a gasoline-powered car in its performance, range and comfort.
Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) Report
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) is the leading science-based non-profit organization working for a healthier environment and a safer world. UCS conducts an analysis of major U.S. automakers every two years. This year’s report analyzed model year 2005 sales and certification standards of each company’s car and light truck fleet to determine its contribution of smog-forming and heat trapping emissions. Honda also finished in first place in the 2004, 2002 and 2000 UCS reports.
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