WASHINGTON, DC, December 9, 2004 (ENS) - Honda increased its lead over its
competitors in the biennial race for the title of greenest automaker, the Union
of Concerned Scientists (UCS) announced Tuesday at a Washington press conference
as it presented leaders of Honda with the "2004 Greenest Automaker" award.
"Honda is in a class of its own when it comes to producing clean cars and
trucks," said David Friedman, research director of UCS's Clean Vehicles Program
and lead author of the third report the UCS has published ranking the six
largest automakers in the United States.
By contrast, UCS dubbed General Motors "Public Polluter #1" when it comes to
emissions generated by automakers. GM, which had the least polluting vehicles of
the Big Three automakers just six model years ago, fell behind industry laggard
DaimlerChrysler into last place in UCS's latest environmental ranking of car
companies.
Friedman said General Motors is "stuck in reverse," as far as environmentally
friendly development is concerned.
"GM has spent countless dollars in advertising trying to create a green image,
but as the only automaker to move backwards on both smog and carbon dioxide, its
rhetoric doesn't match reality," he said.
The report analyzes the six largest automakers in the U.S. market, which
together account for nine out of every 10 vehicles sold in this country.
UCS evaluated data on smog-forming pollution and heat-trapping emissions from
each company's fleet using model year 2003 sales information and certification
standards.
The report rates the pollution performance of the average vehicle produced by
each company; total sales volume does not influence the results.
Honda increased its lead by building vehicles that produce less than half the
smog-forming pollutants of the industry average and 18 percent less
heat-trapping emissions.
Nissan took over second place by reducing global warming emissions per vehicle
more than any other automaker - by about six percent since model year 2001.
Toyota's slip into third place is a reflection of Nissan's pollution progress as
well a lackadaisical effort from Toyota on smog.
Ford maintained a fourth place standing with a Jekyll and Hyde approach to the
environment that led to cars that matched Toyota's smog-forming pollution
performance for the first time in UCS's analysis and the worst greenhouse gas
performance of all the automakers.
"One of the key findings of this report is that trucks don't have to be an
environmental liability," said Don MacKenzie, UCS vehicles engineer and
co-author of the new report. "Ford and Honda put technology to work and cut
their overall smog-forming pollution despite increased truck sales."
DaimlerChrysler moved into fifth place - one up from last place in the first two
rankings - due to GM's poor performance as well as a modest fuel economy
improvement from the trucks that make up two-thirds of DaimlerChrysler's sales.
GM bottomed out in the rankings, despite many technology announcements and a
commitment to lead the Big Three on truck fuel economy. GM fell from the best of
the Big Three to the worst over the past six model years, because GM's trucks
are more polluting than Ford's and DaimlerChrysler's, the report said
"Spurred by regulations, Honda, Nissan and Ford cut smog-forming pollution ahead
of schedule, and the other automakers should follow their lead," said Friedman.
"A similar approach is needed to address global warming. Automakers must tap
into the variety of existing technologies that can cut heat-trapping emissions
while saving consumers money at the gas pump."
The report is intended to encourage consumers to purchase the cleanest, most
fuel efficient car or truck that meets their needs. When all else is equal
between two vehicles, the rankings allow consumers to use their purchasing power
to reward the better overall automaker.