Recently, there has been an increasing amount of attention placed on "going green" and doing our part in protecting the environment. And nowhere is this growing trend more noticeable than in the automotive industry. The last few years have placed a great deal of emphasis on the idea of battery powered automobiles. But automotive insiders are cautioning that, despite the advancements that have been seen in this area, the truth is that there is no "fix all" solution. In this sense, there will never be an automobile that will completely green, clean, and efficient.
The message above was one that was driven home by what was named as the greenest car of the year - the 2013 Ford Fusion. The "greenest" car of the year award is one that was created to spotlight the importance of clean and efficient automobiles. So what led the 2013 Ford Fusion to be named as the greenest car of the year? It was the fact that this midsize sedan offers a variety of power-train options including more traditional gasoline power options, to more modern plug-in options.
The Green Car of the Year Award is now in its 8th year, and has recently taken a more counter-intuitive approach in deciding who the winners will be. While many of the green awards have gone to hybrids, the jurors have also given praise to vehicles with diesel engines such as the Audi A3 TDI. And, contrary to what many would expect, the top 5 finalists in this years "green" category include 2 gas-only models - the Mazda CX-5 SkyActiv crossover, as well as the 2013 Dodge Dart.
The truth about battery cars and plug-in vehicles is that they do offer extremely impressive gas mileage. With that said, they are a difficult sale. Not only that but, contrary to popular belief, many of these vehicles don't actually have much of an environmental impact. Other technologies like the Ford turbocharged EcoBoost engine might not offer the same mileage, but they do set a better example in the way of eco-friendliness.
In regards to the 2013 Ford Fusion being labeled as the greenest car of the year, Dave Mondragon (Ford's marketing manager) states that he is very honored by the reward and is hoping that it will show consumers how far Ford technology has come in regards to fuel economy. While Ford was once lagging behind the pack in the way of fuel mileage, this award has now made it a leader.
One of Ford Fusion's biggest competitors is the Japanese vehicle producer, Toyota. Hoping to steal the Green Car award for themselves, Toyota's Prius C has been labeled as a leader in the green car market.
Ford is hoping that their win of the Green Car award will help them to challenge the perception that Toyota is in the lead. According to Amy Marentc, Ford's senior marketing executive, winning the green award will definitely help Ford sales. She hints that they will be using this award as a promotion technique for advertising the Fusion, and possibly other products as well. In her words, "We're going to have to talk this up".
With the increasing emphasis on greener vehicles, it is fascinating to think what could arise in the future - stay tuned!
Read the Original Article at: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/ford-fusion-named-green-car-year-1C7337955
No comments:
Post a Comment