The 2013 Albany Auto Show is Going Green for St. Patrick’s Day Weekend!
Check out these links to find out how your favorite manufacturers are going green, too!
Acura recently launched the Environmental Leadership Award Program, an initiative that invites Acura dealers throughout the U.S. to voluntarily reduce the environmental impact of their dealerships. Your local dealership, Northeast Acura in Latham was an early recipient of the Gold Level Award. Acura and the Environment
Audi is currently working on pilot program with its A3 “e-tron” concept car monitoring the effects of climate conditions, driving patterns and energy performance and using these real word insights to develop a truly driver-friendly electric line. Audi’s Commitment to the Environment Audi A3 e-tron
BMW uses methane gas from a local landfill instead of natural gas at one of their plants to save enough energy each year to drive a car around the globe 4,300 times. That’s over 100 million miles! As a result, the atmosphere is spared thousands of tons of greenhouse gases – 17,000 tons to be exact. BMW Community & Environment
Buick’s parent company General Motors reached 103 landfill-free facilities at the end of 2012; this means zero waste from daily operations is sent to landfill. Last year, they recycled or reused 2.6 million metric tons at their facilities worldwide. That’s equivalent to more than 38 million trash bags! General Motor’s Commitment to the Environment Quest for Zero Landfill
The Cadillac ELR was unveiled last week in Detroit. This brand new plug-in hybrid (which will be available next winter) has a full driving range exceeding 300 miles, combining pure electric driving and an efficient, range-extending generator. General Motor’s Commitment to the Environment Cadillac ELR Press Release
Chevrolet’s Detroit factory, home to the Chevy Volt is a green powerhouse! The site has environmentally friendly features including a 516kW solar panel array generating 54,750 volts each year, 16.5 acres of certified wildlife habitat on site, and an oxidizer that reduces the amount of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide released into the atmosphere. General Motor’s Commitment to the Environment Detroit Factory Green Initiatives
Chrysler Jeep raised the bar on sustainable manufacturing in 2011 by replacing soy with recycled foam waste material in the Jeep Grand Cherokee seat manufacturing process. As the first in the industry to do this, the company estimates the process saves 180,000 pounds of foam from reaching landfills each year. Chrysler Sustainability Overview Jeep Grand Cherokee Seats
Dodge Ram’s Warren, Michigan plant reduced its chemical usage to treat water for cooling industrial processes by $16,000 annually and installed a 100-gallon aquarium which is continuously fed with the filtered cooling water from this process, demonstrating that it is clean enough to support a variety of fish! Chrysler Sustainability Overview Sustainability Report Highlights
FIAT’s launch of their first electric vehicle, the FIAT 500e, makes owning a FIAT greener than ever. To celebrate this, FIAT has launched “Into the Green,” a program to raise sustainability awareness at glamorous red carpet events. The FIAT brand wants to help auto show attendees and fans win a trip to LA to experience one of FIAT’s exclusive “Into the Green” VIP events where they can get up close and personal with the all-new Fiat 500e. Enter on FIAT’s Facebook through March 15th to win. FIAT’s Facebook FIAT into the Green
Ford’s 2013 Fusion was named Green Car of the Year by Green Car Journal at this year’s LA Auto Show. The mid-size sedan has a wide array of drivetrain options, from gas to hybrid to plug-in, with fuel economy ranging from 26 MPG to over 100 MPGe. The publication says one contributing factor was that Fusions are “priced to encourage the kind of sales volume that can truly influence environmental improvement.” Ford Fusion Green Car of the Year Ford Sustainability
GMC’s 2013 Sierra Hybrid, America’s first 2-mode hybrid full-size pickup, was engineered to offer conservation without compromise. The Sierra Hybrid can operate on engine power alone or a combination of engine and electric power, and uses regenerative braking to convert energy to electricity for the 300-volt battery pack. GMC Sierra Hybrid
Honda doesn’t just focus on vehicle fuel efficiency; they also go green in product manufacturing and facility operations. A Honda manufactured in 2001 created 62.8 pounds of waste. In 2011, that number was reduced over 90% to just 1.8 pounds of waste for each automobile produced, resulting in 10 of 14 plants operating with absolutely zero waste sent to landfills! Honda Environmental Leadership
Hyundai’s Eco-Technology Research Institute which opened in 2005 is at the forefront of the industry’s environmental movement. Since its founding, the center has concentrated efforts on developing next generation green vehicles and environmental technologies with a focus on: creating new ways to lower air pollution from exhaust emissions, inventing more efficient electric-motor systems, and improving the sustainability of raw-material sourcing, manufacturing and recycling methods. Eco-friendly Technology Hyundai and the Environment
Infiniti was the first manufacturer to announce concrete plans for an electric vehicle with wireless charging this past August. The all-electric Infiniti LE is expected to be available next year with advanced wireless charging that’s completely hands free. Intelligent park assist automatically guides the vehicle into the perfect position over the wireless charging pad. Infiniti LE Concept
Jaguar’s all-new XJ has a body structure made with 50% recycled aluminum. This means a potential savings of 3.6 tons of CO2 for each new XJ produced compared to a car using 100% new aluminum. Every Jaguar model is designed to be 95% recyclable or reusable at the end of its life. And, with every XJ built since 2003 and XKs from 2006, 100% of their aluminum can be recycled. Jaguar Sustainability Overview 10 Ways Jaguar is Going Green
Kia’s three year corporate social responsibility project, “Planting for a Better Life”, is bringing volunteers to West Africa to plant 6 million Jatropha shrubs. The Jatropha plant is both drought and pest resistant, and produces seeds which can be processed into bio-diesel fuel. Kia Planting for a Better Life Kia and the Environment
Land Rover’s worldwide CO2 offsetting program makes them the first manufacturer to voluntarily offset 100% of CO2 emitted during the manufacturing process. New hydro power, bio energy, wind power, low energy lighting and energy efficient cooking stove programs are administered by the independent organization, ClimateCare. Since 2006 almost 7 million tons of CO2 have been offset. Land Rover’s Sustainable Future Land Rover’s CO2 Offsetting
Lincoln’s new affordably-priced 2013 MKZ Hybrid joins the short list of mid-size luxury green cars on the market and boasts an impressive EPA rated 45mpg city, highway and combined. The MKZ has an available “SmartGauge with EcoGuide” instrument cluster which coaches drivers to become more fuel efficient, with virtual rewards like growing leaves, flowers and vines to track and reward efficiency. Lincoln MKZ
Mazda is the recipient of the inaugural “2013 Green Car Technology Award,” presented by Green Car Journal for their innovative SKYACTIV Technology. SKYACTIV is the brand’s all-new engineering approach toward increasing overall vehicle efficiency, performance and fuel economy, while reducing CO2 emissions. The 2013 CX-5 compact SUV was the first Mazda to receive all SKYACTIV elements, which included a SKYACTIV-Body and SKYACTIV-Chassis. The all-new 2014 Mazda6, launched in January, is the second all-encompassing SKYACTIV Technology vehicle. Mazda SKYACTIVE Technology Mazda Environmental Initiatives
Mercedes-Benz is working hard to harness the power of the most abundant element in the known universe: zero-emission hydrogen power. The B-Class F-CELL, which is available for lease in select markets, converts compressed hydrogen (estimated to make up 74% of the known universe) into electricity which powers an electric motor delivering a range of around 190 miles, all while returning the equivalent of 90 highway mpg and emitting nothing but water vapor! Mercedes-Benz and the Environment Mercedes F-CELL
The MINI-E Field Trial from 2009-2011 made MINI the world’s first major car manufacturer to deploy more than 500 all-electric vehicles. The BMW owned company converted its Cooper into an all-electric to conduct a study on electric driver habits. Respondents said the cars met 90% of their daily driving needs. When the trial was over, MINI-Es were recycled to museums, put into service around the world and even made an appearance at the 2012 London Olympics accompanying its miniature remote controlled likeness to deliver javelins and discuses to athletes. MINI-E Field Trial MINI-E Field Trial Results
Mitsubishi has teamed up with the University of Southern California as it develops a campus-wide Smart Grid “Living Laboratory” project including the use of Mitsubishi i-MiEV 100% electric vehicles. The program will simulate a city with a population over 50,000 documenting their experiences operating a fleet of electric vehicles under a wide range of conditions and simulations over a period of two years. The project will help cities of all sizes develop cost-effective electric vehicle infrastructures. Mitsubishi and the Environment Mitsubishi USC Smart Grid Living Project
Nissan’s Green Program was implemented to achieve the company’s environmental philosophy: Symbiosis of People, Vehicles and Nature. Nissan announced their new plan in 2011 which focuses on reducing environmental impact of corporate activities and pursuing harmony between resource consumption and ecology by promoting and widening the application of green technologies that have been developed and contributing to recycling-based society. Nissan’s Green Program
Porsche has a long history of developing innovative technology in its cars that has helped advance the overall industry’s efforts, including conducting the first official emission testing of its sports cars back in 1966. Porsche’s concern about its impact on the planet is not only a long standing one, it also encompasses many broad areas of the company. For example Porsche recycles nearly 100% of waste from production and vehicles are built with fully 85% of their content being totally recyclable. Porsche and the Environment
The Scion iQ was rated as the #1 energy efficient vehicle by the U.S. Department of Energy for 2013 with 121 MPG equivalent combined (138 MPGe city and 105 MPGe highway). This new 2013 version, intended for car sharing programs in urban and campus environments, has a lower battery capacity allowing the car to be fully recharged in approximately three hours. The battery can be recharged up to 80% capacity in only 15 minutes! Toyota Scion iQ EV Toyota and the Environment
smart’s new 2013 smart Electric Drive is the third generation of its all-electric two-seat minicar with 107 MPGe combined. Upgrades from previous editions include a range of 68 miles per charge, 0 to 62 mph chopped in half to 11.5 seconds, top speed of 78 mph and a full charge in 6 hours. It’s also the least expensive electric car sold in the US, priced at $25,750 before incentives. The smart ED3 is not available just yet, but pre-registrations are available. smart ED3 smart and the Environment
Subaru of Indiana Automotive is the first and remains the only plant in the United States to be designated a Backyard Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. The 800+ acres serve as a home for various wildlife including: white-tail deer, rabbits, Canadian Geese, Mallard Ducks, squirrels, beavers, coyote, snapping turtles, frogs, red-tail hawks, blue heron, and the Bald Eagle. Subaru and the Environment Subaru Indiana Wildlife Habitat
Toyota and the Wyland Foundation are promoting resource conservation and bringing attention to the importance of healthy oceans and waterways by holding the National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation this April. Sign an online pledge at www.mywaterpledge.com to conserve water and resources, and cities with the highest percentage of residents who make the commitment are entered to win hundreds of environmentally friendly prizes, including a Toyota Prius c. Toyota’s Respect for the Planet Toyota & the Wyland Foundation
Volkswagen’s Chattanooga, TN plant is No. 11 on the EPA’s Top 20 list of the largest green power generators. The plant hosts the biggest solar installation at any U.S. auto factory, where more than 13 million kilowatt-hours of green power annually are generated, which is enough to meet 12% of the organization’s electricity use, and is equivalent to avoiding CO2 emissions of more than 1,000 average American homes annually. Volkswagen’s Chattanooga Plant Volkswagen and the Environment
Volvo has awarded the Volvo Environment Prize each year since 1988 for outstanding environmental innovations or scientific discoveries. Gretchen Daily, professor at Stanford University and expert on the valuation of natural capital, was awarded the 2012 Volvo Environment Prize. Daily co-founded the Natural Capital Project aimed at aligning economic factors and processes with conservation. Daily works with private landowners, economists, lawyers, business people, and government agencies around the world to successfully incorporate environmental science into business practice and public policy. Volvo Global and the Environment Volvo Environment Prize