For the fifth time in a row the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) has bestowed upon Honda the title of Greenest Automaker. UCS is an organization of “citizens and scientists” dedicated to finding new technology to bring us into a cleaner environmental future. At the same time that Honda claimed the title, Chrysler for the fourth time in ten years finished last as the least environmentally friendly automaker on the market, and Toyota and Hundai missed the number one slot by one point each.
The “Greenest Automaker” was decided by reports released by the government on 2008 model year statistics as well as measurements of smog-forming, globe-warming emissions from each company’s fleet. UCS doesn’t note whether they take into account the manufacturing process when deciding their winners, but we wonder if that might change the numbers a bit as car companies build more environmentally friendly factories. The report adds that this time around they noticed a marked improvement in each company’s mpg average. They also reported seeing that some companies were hugely improving on their emissions while others — ahem, Chrysler — were floundering far behind.
Also in contention for the title were Ford and General Motors. We’ve seen both of these companies improve on their eco-cred over the past year as they push toward electric car technology. UCS notes in their report that the top eight car makers — Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Toyota, and Volkswagen — account for about 90% of all cars on the road in the United States, and they are hoping their report helps to push all of these manufacturers towards more sustainable models in the future.
+ Union of Concerned Scientists
Via Autoblog Green
