DENVER, Aug. 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Automakers today announced
EcoDriving(TM) (www.EcoDrivingUSA.com), a comprehensive, nationwide effort to
save consumers money at the gas pump, reduce fuel use and cut carbon dioxide
(CO2) emissions. The industry also applauded California and Colorado for being
the first states to support this consumer awareness program. The Environmental
Defense Fund also participated in the launch of the EcoDriving initiative.
"You can save money and save the environment by driving green," said Dave
McCurdy, president and CEO of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.
"Through EcoDriving, 10 top automakers and the states of California and
Colorado have found we share an important commitment, and we commend Governor
Schwarzenegger and Governor Ritter for their leadership in engaging consumers
in green driving. Drivers don't have to wait to buy a new, fuel-efficient
vehicle to start reducing fuel costs and CO2 ... though I do encourage
everyone to buy one of our new fuel-efficient vehicles immediately."
By following a set of subtle and easy-to-use best practices for driving
and vehicle maintenance, a typical EcoDriver(TM) can improve mileage by about
15 percent. "Today's automobiles are really computers on wheels, with more
than 3,000 interactive parts operating as a complex system. The more you know
about your machine, the better you can reduce fuel use and CO2 emissions,"
said McCurdy.
EcoDriving produces the highest mileage from every single vehicle,
regardless of vehicle size and age, so it offers an unmatched reach in
addressing energy and climate issues by potentially affecting the nation's
entire fleet of 245 million automobiles. The program's benefits are
potentially huge:
-- If just half of all drivers nationwide practiced moderate levels of
EcoDriving, annual CO2 emissions could be reduced by about 100 million
tons, or the equivalent of heating and powering 8.5 million households.
-- If all Americans practiced EcoDriving, it would be equal to 450 billion
miles traveled on our roadways without generating any CO2 emissions.
That's 1,500 CO2-free miles for every man, woman, and child in the
United States each year.
Sample EcoDriving practices include:
-- Not tailgating, knowing the proper way to accelerate and brake, using
synchronized traffic lights to a driver's advantage, driving at the
optimum highway speed, understanding when to use air conditioning and
much more.
Sample maintenance practices include:
-- Knowing which motor oil to use, understanding the importance of proper
tire pressure and what affects tire pressure, understanding
aerodynamics and much more.
In conjunction with the unveiling of EcoDriving, the National Automobile
Dealers Association announced that September will be free "Green Check-up
Month" nationwide.
"Consumers who are better aware of the operations of their vehicle will be
rewarded by saving money at the gas pump and reducing CO2 emissions. Working
together, we can substantially reduce CO2 emissions and fuel use, one
EcoDriver at a time," said McCurdy.
The Alliance's EcoDriving consumer awareness campaign centers on an
interactive website, www.EcoDrivingUSA.com, to help drivers learn practical
tips to improving their mileage and reducing their carbon footprint. The site
includes a video guide to EcoDriving, an "EcoCalculator" to determine benefits
for individuals or states, a Virtual Road Test and a variety of educational
tools.
As part of their national campaign, automakers pledged to reach out to
government, business, educators and more. Alliance members hope to engage all
50 states, as well as major consumer organizations, in EcoDriving. "We're all
in this together, so there's a role for each one of us to play in being a part
of the solution to these critical issues," added McCurdy.
"Automakers are aggressively developing and introducing new technologies,
but it takes 15 years or more for these technologies to become widespread on
the road. EcoDriving helps consumers reduce carbon dioxide emissions today,"
said McCurdy.
The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers is a trade association of 10 car
and light truck manufacturers including BMW Group, Chrysler, Ford Motor
Company, General Motors, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi Motors, Porsche,
Toyota and Volkswagen. For more information, visit the Alliance website at
www.autoalliance.org.
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