Honda service, Fairfield: professionals get green and sporty

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Honda service, Fairfield: professionals get green and sporty

If you’re looking to combine the great looks of a sports car with the fuel efficiency of a hybrid, look no further: Honda has you covered. With the auto industry focusing heavily on fuel efficiency and green driving, Honda has found a happy medium that will offer drivers a sports car that benefits from a hybrid engine without sacrificing too much power. It’s all happening under the CR-Z brand, one of the mainstays of the Honda lineup and a great selling low-end sports car. The new CR-Z Hybrid does well in the way of styling, with grooves and contours that will have Fairfield Honda service professionals cooing in their oil. It’s just another reason why the Honda brand is getting so much attention from the auto media and why sales have been pretty solid throughout the fallout from the recession. With the launch of the new hybrid CR-Z, Honda’s sales can only continue to get better in the race for the highest rated brand in the industry. Your Waterbury Honda service center can’t wait to get its hands on the new CR-Z to tool around and work on what’s inside. So what else is great about the new CR-Z?

Honda service, Fairfield located, professionals are excited about what’s under the hood of the CR-Z. According to a recent article in New Jersey Newsroom, “Under that sloping hood is a two-part power system: the gasoline engine, and the electric motor. The primary power comes from a 1.5-liter, four-cylinder gas engine producing just 122 horsepower, followed by an electric motor feeding off a 100-volt, nickel-metal hydride battery pack. The combination is mated to a six-speed manual transmission that, in typical Honda fashion, is quick and responsive. The car is not as fast as it looks, however, and the handling is, well, ordinary. This is not, however, a full hybrid in that you can’t drive on just the electric motor. Rather, the motor serves as an augmenting system for the gasoline engine, shutting it off when you are idling or stopped. That boosts fuel efficiency to an EPA estimated 37 mpg. That is still good fuel mileage, and places the CR-Z fifth among all cars behind the 50-mile per gallon Toyota Prius, 42 MPG Honda Civic Hybrid, 41 MPG Honda Insight, and the 39 MPG Ford Fusion.” When you visit your Honda service center, make sure to ask about the new CR-Z.

 

With so many unknowns in the auto industry, engineers that are prone to innovation are the ones who are going to achieve victory for their auto brands. Fairfield Honda service professionals know that Honda has some of the best engineers on the planet, and they expect great things from the brand over the next couple of years. When you visit your Honda service center, Waterbury located, make sure to ask about the innovations that the company has in the works. They’ll be able to give you a little more insight on what the future of driving will look like. And check out what Honda has to offer this year.

Mobile Dent Removal Without Auto Painting or Body Fillers: the Green Choice for Consumers

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Mobile Dent Removal Without Auto Painting or Body Fillers: the Green Choice for Consumers

 

“Green” Benefits of Paintless Dent Removal

When you choose a paintless dent removal company to repair the dings and dents in your car’s body, you are eliminating the need for harsh chemicals. Traditional paint and body shops rely on auto paint, sanding materials, and body fillers to make your car look like new. All of these materials are made of harsh chemicals that are hazardous to dispose of and require energy to both manufacture and utilize. The chemicals in auto paint – whether it is an activator, clearcoat, paint thinner, basecoat, or primer – contain everything from barium sulfate to titanium dioxide, which are non-organic solvents that can pose a risk to individuals and the environment.

Paintless dent removal companies skip this harmful step by working with what is already there – your car’s metal panels – to gently massage and work the shape of your car back to its flawless condition. The process is so mild that there’s no need to use touch-up paint to finish the job, giving you an effective and safe alternative.

“Green” Benefits of Mobile Repair Services

When you choose paintless dent removal in addition to mobile services, you get an even lower environmental impact. When you make an appointment at a traditional body shop, you typically have to get in your car, drive it to the site, and have yet another person pick you up to take you where you need to go. You then have to repeat the same steps when your car is finished. When you add up all the people who get dent removal services in a single year, this adds up to a substantial amount of unnecessary gas consumption.

Mobile paintless dent removal services like the ones offered by Dings Plus of San Jose, CA streamline this process to use the least amount of environmental impact possible. By coming to your home or office, the dent removal specialists at Dings Plus can combine several repairs into a single journey – meaning that not only are you offered great service on your schedule, but you’re also reducing the overall amount of drive time for everyone involved. As far as the environment is concerned, it is a win-win situation.

 

Going Green with Hybrid Vehicles

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Going Green with Hybrid Vehicles

Automotive transportation has dramatically altered the environment because it contributes to a majority of greenhouse gases released into the air. Our consumption of gas leaves large quantities of carbon emissions that continue to destroy the environment at an alarming rate. Mending the hole in the ozone layer will take time, but it is only possible through everyone’s participation in the green movement. You can do this in many ways, and one of the most important is by changing your transportation habits. While sitting on a crowed city bus or walking may not appeal to everyone, you can still go green while driving if you switch to an alternative fuel car.

Hybrid vehicles can help you go green by reducing the amount of carbon emissions directly. Since hybrids use a combination of gas and electric power, they run on less gas and thereby create less fuel emissions. Hybrids typically run on 30 mpg or more depending on make and model. Some car manufactures claim you can squeeze out 40 or more mpg, depending on your driving style.

Different types of hybrid vehicles depend on how they operate from gas to electric power. A full hybrid allows the driver to run on just gas, electric power, or both. When driving in typical conditions, the full hybrid relies on power from both the gas engine and electric motor. The electric engine can power the car alone when used for stop-and-go traffic or for low speeds. Both electric and gas motors stop when the car is idling. A mild hybrid contains an electric motor that allows the engine to turn off and start up quickly to reduce gas consumption, but the gas engine is the primary power source. The electric motor in the mild hybrid primarily functions when higher speeds or more power is required.

Electric hybrids are not the only alternative fuel cars on the market. Auto manufacturers continue to experiment with hydrogen powered vehicles, also known as hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. This type of vehicle emits no dangerous greenhouse gases since the byproduct is simply heat and water vapor. Unfortunately, it could take many years before you see these fuel cell vehicles in large numbers due to developmental complications such as affordability, winter driving, and durability.

All electric vehicles are powered by an electric motor that charges from a battery. While these vehicles offer no harmful emissions and inexpensive operating costs, manufactures have failed to create a viable market due to excessive costs to consumers and a short battery life. The battery takes several hours to charge once drained, and can be extremely expensive to replace after only a few years.

Affordability and green power has enabled hybrid vehicles to thrive in this market. It won’t be long before auto manufacturers stop producing gas guzzling vehicles and replace them with alternative fuel cars. People’s budgets and the environment will benefit both now and in the future.

The Hottest wheels in Town Now at Auto Parts Online store?

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The Hottest wheels in Town Now at Auto Parts Online store?

Auto Parts Online, the country’s leading Auto Parts Online store offers new exciting line of replacement auto wheels. Now offered are more variety of wheels, including stylish alloy Mercedes Benz wheels, tough and heavy duty wheels to match original Ford wheels for newer Ford models, and rugged and tough-looking Jeep wheels.

Wheels offered at Auto Parts Online are guaranteed tough and original-quality. They are made by top wheel manufacturers and are designed to perfectly fit every vehicle make and model specification; they are also built with precision to reduce unsparing weight and provide better handling. They are rust-resistant and thus, they are easy to maintain.

Including the tires, the wheels are exposed to a lot of corrosive elements such as the dust, salt, stones, cinders and sticky tart. Proper care of the auto wheels is therefore essential to keep these parts in maximum working condition.

However, aside from the known performance function, the wheels provide excellent means to customize the vehicle. Many car enthusiasts find the wheels as easy and affordable ways to alter the vehicle’s styling according to one’s likes and wants.

Replacing the wheels provide a lot of benefits. First, it improves handling and ride quality; second, it affords you more enjoyment as it makes your car a lot sportier and good looking; lastly, it increases your vehicle’s resale value.

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Styling of the wheels has now greatly improved, making it a perfect car accessory. There’s wide variety of designs for the wheels including its wheel covers and hubcaps; each can fit every personality of a car enthusiast.

At Auto Parts Online, you can expect to find great choices of wheels—from Mazda wheels to BMW wheels, Mercedes Benz wheels, Toyota wheels, Jeep wheels, Ford wheels, Chevrolet wheels and so much more. They are available in alloy and in great variety of sizes, design, and color. Wheels with different number of spokes and spoke design available in bright silver and medium gray colors are offered here at Auto Parts Train. There are wheels designed with green and gold vent, too.

When it comes to handling abilities, alloy wheels offered at Auto Parts Online, your leading Auto Parts Online store, are better because they reduce amount of the auto’s unsparing weight. They also dissipate heat better, allowing them to handle higher tire and brake temperatures.

Although it’s easy to get replacement wheels, there are few things you need to consider in purchasing new sets of wheels. First, it is not advisable to replace original auto wheels with smaller diameter wheels. Larger diameter wheels may be used, however, with low profile tires to retain the original tire diameter while improving the car’s looks and handling abilities.

Proper wheel width should also be considered in buying your new car wheels, SUV wheels, off road wheels, truck wheels, luxury wheels or custom car wheels. Ideally, the width of the wheel should be the same with that of the tire’s tread so as to produce vertical tire sidewalks for excellent tire support and extended tread life. Proper offset and backspacing are also important considerations in buying wheels, so as to ensure perfect fit to your vehicle. Offset refers to the distance between the wheel’s mounting surface to the car and the center of the rim.

Wheels are among the most striking features in a vehicle, so make sure you get your replacement wheels from trusted sources such as Auto Parts Online to ensure their quality, durability and superior design.

Auto Parts Online as your number one Auto Parts Discount has excellent track record when it comes to providing auto replacement parts and customer services. Here you can always shop confidently with the store’s long-time and successful experience in the automotive industry providing the greatest variety of parts ranging from wheels to auto lights, engine parts, suspension parts, A/C condenser, catalytic converter, bumpers, hoods; and exclusive Auto Parts Discount deals that are truly satisfying.

Windshield Chip Repair – The Green Choice For Consumers

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Windshield Chip Repair – The Green Choice For Consumers

Global warming has today taken on great proportions and most of us are quickly waking up to the efforts that must be made if we are to leave a better planet for the coming generations. The concept of going ‘green’ is catching up even in third world countries and industries and consumers alike are opting for green option rather than ignoring them. But while most of us are aware of the dangers of plastic not many of us know that windshield glass is also not recycled. So when you opt for a windshield replacement, your old auto glass simply ends up in our nation’s landfill and effects our environment negatively. Though there may be times when a windshield glass replacement is necessary, 90% of the time, a windshield chip repair will serve the purpose just as well.

Like in the case of a rock chip on your windshield that is the size of a quarter or less, windshield chip repair will work perfectly. Dings Plus introduces a door to door windshield chip repair technology that contains the chip on the windshield and also strengthens the auto glass. If not repaired on an immediate basis, a small rock chip or crack on the windshield will soon grow into a larger crack that will act both as an optical hazard during driving and also weaken the windshield. This will eventually lead to a windshield replacement. But if you are quick to react, things could be different.

Windshield chip repair provided by Ding Plus is a great way to ensure that you save your original windshield and do not opt for a replacement option. The company uses the latest technology to contain the chip on your windshield. Cracks as large as a quarter can also be contained. In fact Dings Plus is so sure of its windshield chip repair method that is provides and offers an iron-clad auto windshield repair guarantee. Dings Plus guarantees the windshield chip repair will not grow or spread for as long as the customer owns the vehicle or they will refund the original price of the windshield chip repair. Needless to say, with such surety, the windshield chip repair does seem like the better option and also one which is more ecologically friendly.

In fact windshield chip repair saves not only the environment, but also is the more cost effective method to utilize in cases of windshield rock chips and cracks. Dings Plus charges an affordable rate of for the first chip and for each additional chip on the same windshield. No doubt this offers a perfect combination for the consumers, who can save money while choosing the greener option.

 

And Stronger Auto Parts Industry

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And Stronger Auto Parts Industry

In 2009, China’s automobile production and sales in the first super 10 million, as China’s automobile production and sales on the rise, our parts and components industry, having gone through years of adjustment and after the development has entered a relatively stable period of development.

      

From China Association of Automobile Manufacturers statistics show that from January to August this year, 10761 auto parts companies completed a total industrial output value of 774.5 billion yuan, sales output value of 753.8 billion yuan; exported 16.6 billion U.S. dollars. Expected industrial output value of auto parts will reach 1.2 trillion yuan.

      

Shorten the gap to seize the adjustment

      

Rapid growth in China’s automobile production and sales, driven, spare parts industry has won an excellent opportunity for the development of new. However, should also be noted that parts of China’s development of the industry base was weak. Society of Automotive Engineering from the Chinese automotive components industry, the basic conditions and product R & D capabilities Survey show that China’s auto parts business R & D investment currently accounts for only about 1.4% of sales revenue, far below the average of 5% level of transnational corporations. Even the top-ranked Chinese parts enterprises, and the world’s top 100 auto parts suppliers compared to sales of the gap is also 10 times more. In addition, China’s automotive EFI systems, engine management systems, ABS and airbags and other core components of the production in the local parts and components manufacturing enterprises in China the proportion of products is not high. Urgent need to find spare parts industry in China by the larger and stronger opportunities.

      

First, from a policy perspective, the beginning of this year released “Automobile Industry Development and Adjustment of planning” of key parts for automotive technology research and development, autonomy and industrialization of parts enterprises mergers and restructuring and export of spare parts and other content With a clear reference. The future, industrial restructuring and upgrading of automobile parts there will be a clear strategy in greater detail the design and policy design.

      

In addition, from the perspective of industry, China Association of Automobile Manufacturers Dong Jianping, Deputy Secretary-General, that “in order to consolidate the current good situation is conducive to long-term development parts industries, focusing on adjusting the industrial structure, accelerate industrial upgrading is the main way to solve the problem . “He said that” China’s auto parts industry for many years the existence of many deep-seated problems, affecting the parts and components industry, sustained, stable and healthy development, while the restructuring is to solve the long-term, sustainable development. Parts Industry The structural adjustment should focus on energy saving, emission reduction, safety, and the theme of the development of new energy vehicles. “Dong Jianping suggested that in order to solve our parts production volume is small, scattered, low-level redundant construction of the serious problems, the state should support the professional component of leading enterprises of small business bigger and stronger.

In addition, the relevant state departments, local governments and financial institutions to take targeted measures to support leading enterprises to improve their R & D capabilities and technological innovation, great loss, promoting intensive parts and components industry, take the road of development, will also be in a very large extent, parts and components industry, enhance our competitiveness in the market. He suggests that the spare parts business enterprises should do a good job, “Shier Wu,” development planning, planning should be based on characteristics of their products in close connection with environmental protection, energy saving, security and development trend of low-carbon economy, a development goal, through “Shier Wu” in the development of a higher level.

      

Finally, it should be noted that energy saving, emission reduction, light weight and other green manufacturing is the development direction of the automotive industry, so automotive components manufacturing of new technologies, new processes and new materials, the application of higher and higher requirements. Vehicle and spare parts have to help one another and the joint development. Only complete sets of equipment and spare parts manufacturing the first breakthrough, reaching the world advanced level, China’s automobile industry can be achieved by the manufacturing power to create powerful strategic transformation.

      

The full increase in turning crises into opportunities

      

In October at the China International Auto Parts Expo, the reporter learned that auto parts exports from January to September this year, already more than last year, motor vehicles and spare parts will become China’s export of electromechanical products in the most potential, the most promising products. As for China’s auto parts industry, the biggest development in China in recent years from the export of auto parts and gradually gained international recognition, from the early maintenance of the supply of foreign markets, a gradual shift to join the international well-known Motor Company vehicle to zero Part of transnational procurement plan.

    In fact, this year the development of China’s auto parts industry is not viewed favorably at first. First of all, China’s auto parts industry development base was weak. Although there are nearly ten thousand parts enterprises in China, but the real scale of the requirements to achieve very little, the overall low level, but also scattered strength, can not form a strong development capability. Secondly, according to international management consulting firm Roland Berger Strategy in March 2009 projections released in 2009, the global automotive parts supplier profit margins will be substantially reduced. Therefore, as the world’s fastest-growing auto market, foreign parts manufacturers to accelerate the market development in China, from the fourth quarter of 2008 so far, including GKN, BorgWarner, Johnson Controls and other global companies are well-known components China built a wholly-owned or joint-venture factories and competition more intense.

      

However, in 2009 China’s auto parts industry, it should be counted a “warm winter,” deputy secretary general of China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, said Dong Jianping, China’s auto industry started from the fourth quarter of last year’s growth rate slipped to March 2009 began to show rapid growth trend, parts industry has also resumed rapid growth.

      

State Information Center, Ministry of Xu Changming, director of the view that domestic spare parts business development opportunities than challenges, the most critical enabling factor is the high-growth Chinese market, as long as the implementation of correct policies and measures, we will be able to grow from a group of outstanding, powerful independent parts enterprises.

According to his analysis that this year China’s auto parts industry development achievements can be summarized in four aspects: First, the rapid expansion of scale of the industry, sales revenue and profit margins good performance; Second, rapid export growth, beginning in 2004, China’s parts exports than it imported, is currently China’s total global exports of parts and components exports accounted for more than 10% volume; third, innovation active parts enterprises, most enterprises have innovation activities, innovation activities, the total cost of more than 60 billion yuan, an increase of faster; fourth, the key components have basically realized the localization of production, including airbags, ABS, including a series of high value-added products, has been basically achieved domestically.

China’s Car Market Remains Pivotal For Auto Giants

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China’s Car Market Remains Pivotal For Auto Giants

China’s Car Market Remains Pivotal For Auto Giants

Yes, China’s burgeoning automobile market will eventually calm down from what can only be described as parabolic growth.

Moody’s Investors Service even predicted negative growth in Chinese auto demand for the fourth quarter of this year, but going forward this is still a market global auto giants have to have a foothold in.

Believe it or not, General Motors is doing pretty well in China. The bankrupt auto giant said its sales in China rose to a record 196,004 units in May. Sales at its Shanghai GM venture soared almost 49% to 83,302 units.

Sales at the SAIC-GM-Wulling venture jumped 5.2% to 105,395 units in May, according to Bloomberg News. GM sold 1.03 million units in China through the first five months of this year, an increase of almost 54% from a year earlier.

Separately, China’s government said it will subsidize the purchase of energy efficient cars to reduce emissions. China is the world’s biggest polluter and the government subsidies could increase sales of green cars by billion, or the equivalent of 4 million units by 2012, according to Bloomberg.

Buyers of hybrid cars powered by traditional gas or diesel fuel in China would receive a subsidy of about 0. Buyers of plug-in cars would get a ,300 subsidy while buyers of battery-powered cars would land a subsidy of almost ,800.

This could be good news for the likes of GM and Toyota (NYSE: TM), which have been boosting production of environmentally friendly cars in China. Buyers have previously had to deal with lofty price tags, keeping sales of green cars muted in China.

Green cars

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Green cars

The market for green cars is steadily growing but as with most things in life being a green driver doesn’t necessarily mean driving an electrical or a hybrid car. There are several categories of cars out there which can be described as being green, some even being petrol cars. The reason these would be classified as being green would be their low emissions.

If we divide green cars available in the UK by fuel type we have hybrid cars, electrical cars, alternative fuel cars, diesel cars, petrol cars and others. In addition to these categories coming up are fuel cell vehicles or hydrogen cars.

Amongst the hybrid cars some of the best known are those manufactured by Toyota, such as the Prius and the Auris. But there are also offerings from Honda, Lexus and Infiniti. Amongst electrical cars the more well-known one is the Smart car but we also have the Nissan LEAF, the Chevrolet Volt and the Vauxhall Ampera among others.Amongst the hybrid cars some of the best known are those manufactured by Toyota, such as the Prius and the Auris. But there are also offerings from Honda, Lexus and Infiniti. Amongst electrical cars the more well-known one is the Smart car but we also have the Nissan LEAF, the Chevrolet Volt and the Vauxhall Ampera among others.

Alternative fuel cars are those who run on LPG Auto gas and include vehicles from Saab, Volvo, Ford and Cadillac with more being available soon from manufactures such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW.Alternative fuel cars are those who run on LPG Auto gas and include vehicles from Saab, Volvo, Ford and Cadillac with more being available soon from manufactures such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW.

Low emission diesel cars are offered by most well known car manufacturers including Volkswagen, Citroen and Audi. The same goes for low emission petrol cars.
The soon to arrive hydrogen fuel cell cars are probably the most exciting things happening in the green car market and the UK market will see cars from both BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Mazda and Nissan.

If you’d like to try out a fuel efficient car such as a new Mercedes-Benz, Crawley is one area where you will find a dealership which might be able to help.

Relio Quick Auto Mall 2010: – India’s multicity automobile show

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Relio Quick Auto Mall 2010: – India’s multicity automobile show

THE FULLY charged up Indian automobile industry is all set to shift gears and speed up the sales, as most of the national and international leading automobile players have shown their vibrant presence in Auto Mall 2010-the five days automobile extravaganza, which was inaugurated as a Gurgaon Shopping Festival, at Leisure Valley, Sector-29, Gurgaon.

This time with an added dose of glitz, glamour and technology to enthuse the auto lovers across Delhi-NCR.Auto Mall 2010 aims to fulfill the penchant of auto industry as well as the customers of a quality show. An extravaganza slated to be full of action and entertainment, it is hosting some of the best national and international automobile brands in the country along with related products and services. It will create an excellent platform for manufacturers, retailers, dealers to showcase their innovative creations, hottest products and latest technologies to the potential buyers under one roof.

For the first time, the Premium Lounge of Auto Mall 2010 is showcasing lifestyle products including luxury cars and bikes for the ‘high fliers’. Along with the display of luxury cars and bikes, the visitors will get to experience true lifestyle across categories like luxury boat along with other high-end lifestyle brands.

The show is different from the usual auto-shows. Auto Mall 2010 has style biking by India’s finest stunt riders, super bike display, ‘Think Green – Drive Green’ lounge showcasing environment friendly vehicles incorporating latest technology, concept car and bike competition that will also involve budding talents from engineering institutes, Live design shows by design studios, corporate and colleges, auto job fair, vintage and classic car display.

Sandeep Kapoor, managing director, Relio Quick India Pvt Ltd said, “Relio Quick Auto Mall has enjoyed immense success over the years and to add value to its already unique identity, Auto Mall 2010 Gurgaon is going a step forward by adding a touch of glitz to the event. Auto Mall 2010 aims to combine various Auto Brands from different categories along with lifestyle entities to create a spectacle that will not only entertain but mesmerise its participants and visitors. We are delighted and equally energised to bring Auto Mall 2010 with lager participation to Delhi-NCR.”

“Our show is a one of its kind across India where buyers, sellers and financial institutions share a common platform. At Auto Mall 2010, our objective is to provide an exclusive platform for automobile enthusiasts and actual buyers, where they can directly interact with sellers and have multiple options to choose from according to one’s own taste, budget and requirements,” added Kapoor.

Auto Mall, a novel concept from Relio Quick, has been organised successfully over the years in various cities across the country, viz Delhi (January 2009), Chandigarh (March 2009), Bangalore (November 2009), Chandigarh (February 2010), Mumbai (March 2010) and Bangalore (September 2010). Each of the shows has witnessed overwhelming participation from all the key automobile brands including BMW, Skoda, Honda, Maruti Suzuki, Volkswagen, Volvo, Nissan, Hyundai, General Motors, Toyota, Mahindra Renault, Mitsubishi, Ford, Tata Motors, FIAT, Mahindra and Mahindra, Ducati, Hero Honda, Yamaha, Bajaj Auto, TVS, Honda Motorcycles, Suzuki, Mahindra 2 wheelers, Royal Enfield, etc besides financial institutions like HDFC, SBI, IDBI, SBOP, PNB, to name a few.

California Leads the Green Movement

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California Leads the Green Movement

There’s nothing like a major boost in gasoline prices to motivate the American consumer. Automakers are hard at work producing green friendly, fuel-saving vehicles. This push for all things green is more than a trendy cause…it’s politically savvy, environmentally conscious and increasingly profitable.

Environmental issues have been on the public’s mind for quite some time, but a perfect storm of events has come together to give the green movement mass appeal. Concerns about rising gas prices, global warming and U.S. dependence on foreign oil have set in place the momentum for going green and will likely influence vehicle buying decisions for years. It’s into this realm that California’s political leaders were able to effectively push a green agenda.

Clearly, the heart of the nation’s green movement beats in California. Green politics have long been the lifeblood of the 31st state. Most observers consider California the birthplace of the environmental movement, but one could make the point that the nation’s most populated state’s green sensibility was born out of the need to clean up messes in their backyard. California found itself crippled by the oil crisis of the 1970s, an event that led to the corporate average fuel economy standards (CAFE) requiring automakers to improve fuel economy. In the 1990s the auto industry found itself under fire once again when California residents, faced with the worst air quality in the nation, passed a 1998 regulation forcing major automakers to produce a few vehicles that produced no carbon emissions. The programs were eliminated when the zero-emissions mandate was dropped after a few years, but 10 years later the heat is back on the auto industry, thanks to intense debate over the environment and gas prices pushing past a gallon.

It’s no secret that, over the years, automotive lobbyists and environmental advocates haven’t always been in agreement. Several years ago, California’s Air Resources Board tried to set emissions standards for vehicles sold in their state that were much tougher than national rules. The result was predictable. Automakers opposed, saying meeting the standards would require expensive vehicle modifications. A costly legal battle ensued, and more than a dozen states joined the effort to enact the tougher rules. And although the Environmental Protection Agency ruled that states can’t set their own emission standards, California and other states are seeking to overturn the decision in court.

But the times, they are a changin’. Recently, major automakers supported legislation that will increase fuel economy standards by 40 percent by 2020. Buoyed by this development, California continues its bid to go even greener. And there’s evidence of the green scene everywhere. Recycling bins and trash cans sit side by side along city streets. Hybrid vehicles are becoming the popular choice among fleet buyers. It’s getting easier to find plug-in stations to recharge electric vehicles. The conversation over a non-fat mocha latte is just as likely to turn green as it is to talk about a young starlet’s latest indiscretion. Every day people are jumping on the green wave, as hybrid vehicles are about as common as traditional automobiles, which is helping to push this political hot potato into the mainstream.

Today, cutting carbon dioxide by way of mandates on the auto industry is a hot-button political issue and one of the toughest challenges that automakers have faced in decades. Automakers that sell cars and trucks in the United States have until 2020 to increase the average fuel economy of the national fleet to 35 miles per gallon, the first major increase to CAFE since the rules were created in 1975. Fortunately, technology is moving quickly from whiteboard to reality, thanks to the efforts of talented and aggressive automotive engineers and suppliers around the world.

We are already seeing full hybrid systems that can propel a vehicle without gasoline at low speeds. Mild hybrid systems are also on the road using start/stop technology like BAS (Belt Alternator Starter) technology. Parallel and series hybrids combine gasoline and electricity usage. Future hybrid technology will allow for plug-in battery recharging, making it possible for short trips without gas consumption. This is truly a global challenge and, if we’ve learned anything from history, automotive manufacturers are up to the task.

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