A green car doesn’t have to be a hybrid.
The Green Car of the Year will be announced at the Los Angeles Auto Show, and there is a three-in-five chance that the winner won’t be powered by a gas-electric system.
Only two of the five finalists are hybrids — the Saturn Vue two-mode hybrid and the Ford Fusion hybrid.
Two are diesels — the BMW 335d and Volkswagen Jetta TDI. The tiny gas-powered Smart ForTwo rounds out the nominees.
“This year’s selection of nominees was more challenging than in years past because of the auto industry’s greater emphasis on greener vehicles and the number of potential vehicles to consider. For the first time, we’ve also seen a pair of clean diesels and a small gasoline model giving hybrids serious competition,” said Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of the Green Car Journal and editor of GreenCar.com.
The 2009 Green Car of the Year is to be announced Nov. 20 at the LA show. Judges include Carl Pope, executive director of the Sierra Club; Frances Beinecke, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council; Jean-Michel Cousteau, president of the Ocean Futures Society; auto enthusiast and “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno, and automotive icon Carroll Shelby. Four Green Car Journal editors round out the jury.
1 comment so far ↓
Too bad smart will NEVER bring a smart car with micro hybrid drive technology, smart fortwo electric drive, or even the turbo gas, or diesel smart car to the USA!
All have way better mileage than the 2009 451.
All they will sell us is the most basic gasoline version.
I guess they don’t think we’re SMART enough!
Canada, SURE!
Europe, SURE!
USA, NO WAY!
Boo!
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