|
May 21, 2004
Consumers
Encouraged to Select Clean Air Choice Vehicles as Smog Season Begins
The South Coast Air Quality Management District will announce plans on
Monday for a “Clean Air Choice Summer” by unveiling vehicles that are among
the lowest polluting cars, trucks, minivans and sport utility vehicles
currently available.
The event will mark the Southern California debut of the world’s first
hybrid sport utility vehicle, the Ford Escape. The Escape is expected to
qualify as a Clean Air Choice when it receives emissions certification this
summer.
“We recognize the progress manufacturers are making and know that the
vehicle each of us chooses to drive can make a huge difference in air
quality,” said William A. Burke, AQMD Chair. “Clean Air Choice vehicles are
more than five times cleaner than the average 2004 model car.”
The AQMD plans to showcase select Clean Air Choice vehicles this summer
as the centerpiece of its sponsorship of the Twilight Dance Series on the
Santa Monica Pier. The popular live concert series, which runs from July 1
to September 2 this year, annually attracts 100,000 music lovers.
Passenger vehicles are the single largest source of air pollution in the
Southland, responsible for about 25 percent of all smog-forming emissions.
The Clean Air Choice program is an innovative new car labeling program
designed to make it easy for environmentally concerned customers to identify
low-emitting vehicles.
Under the program, participating auto dealers prominently post the
colorful Clean Air Choice label on new vehicles that are among the
lowest-polluting models in the world, certified by the California Air
Resources Board (CARB) as either:
- Advanced Technology – Partial Zero Emission Vehicles (AT-PZEVs);
- Partial Zero Emission Vehicles (PZEVs); or
- Super Ultra Low-Emission Vehicles (SULEVs).
Clean Air vehicles will emit only about two pounds of hydrocarbons over
100,000 miles of driving – equivalent to that from spilling a pint of
gasoline. In comparison, a new 1965 car emitted about 2,000 pounds of
hydrocarbons when driven 100,000 miles.
AQMD supports the program by providing dealers with labels, flyers
explaining the program, updated lists of all Clean Air Choice models, a
website and ongoing outreach to the public and auto dealers on the benefits
of Clean Air Choice vehicles.
“The Clean Air Choice program shows that automobile dealers and
manufacturers are playing an important role in cleaning up air pollution in
Southern California,” said Peter Hoffman, president of Sierra Autocars in
Monrovia and board member of the Greater Los Angeles New Car Dealers
Association.
“On a personal note, I fully appreciate that each individual can make a
difference when it comes to air quality.”
Gerhard Schmidt, vice president of Research and Advanced Engineering at
Ford Motor Company said, “We see the AQMD Clean Air Choice program as a
win-win for manufacturers and customers. First of all, it recognizes that
manufacturers are doing a better job in terms of air quality. Secondly, it
helps consumers do their part for cleaner air.”
“As we bring the world’s first hybrid SUV to market, Ford can satisfy
Southern Californians’ taste for sport utility vehicles and have a positive
impact on air quality at the same time.”
Ford expects the Escape hybrid to receive AT-PZEV certification from CARB
this summer.
An updated list of Clean Air Choice models is available at
www.cleanairchoices.org.
AQMD is the air pollution control agency for Orange County and major
portions of Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties.
-#-
|
