ACEEE PRESS BRIEF
NEWLY RELEASED HONDA INSIGHT TAKES TOP HONORS IN ACEEE'S GREEN BOOK® ENVIRONMENTAL RANKINGS
For further information, contact: Jim
Kliesch or Therese Langer at
202-429-8873
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 21, 2001
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A newly released version of the hybrid-electric
Honda Insight has seized the position of "the year's greenest vehicle," says
the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), publisher of
ACEEE's Green Book®: The Environmental Guide to Cars and Trucks.
According to the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization, Honda's advanced
CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) version of the Insight took the
crown spot for all Model Year 2001 vehicles during the latest update to
GreenerCars.com, the online home of
ACEEE's Green Book®.
"Honda has one-upped itself with the release of the CVT Insight," says Jim
Kliesch, co-author of ACEEE's Green Book® and manager of the
GreenerCars.com Web site. "When we released
the Green Book in February, there was a tie for the greenest vehicle
between Honda's manual transmission Insight and their natural gas-powered
Civic GX. The CVT Insight, now with Super-Ultra-Low-Emission (SULEV) tailpipe
emissions, has topped both of those."
According to Kliesch, the new Insight has cleaner tailpipe emissions than
its stick-shift counterpart, although a slightly worse fuel economy. "Automatic
transmissions are not as efficient as manuals," says Kliesch. "However, the
CVT Insight's efficiency is still among the best on the road and, with the
cleaner tailpipe emissions, that was enough to push it over the top." The
new CVT Insight received a Green Score of 57, 4 points higher than the
Ultra-Low-Emission (ULEV) manual transmission version.
ACEEE's Green Scores are comprehensive environmental vehicle ratings that
account for both tailpipe pollution and global warming impacts - including
"upstream" emissions from auto factories, petroleum refineries, and, for
electric vehicles, power plants.
The CVT is an automatic transmission that provides a nearly infinite number
of gear ratios for smooth and efficient shifting. "Use of a CVT allows for
increased efficiency over conventional automatic transmissions, yet retains
the automatics' ease-of-use," says Therese Langer, ACEEE's Transportation
Program Director. "During this time of high gasoline prices, the continuously
variable transmission should make the Insight appeal to even more consumers."
The release of this new version of the Insight also marks another milestone
- the first time a gasoline-powered vehicle has topped the charts in ACEEE's
Green Book®. "This is an achievement of which the automakers should
be proud," states Langer. "It's hard proof that - even given the engineering
challenges - the industry can produce cleaner and more efficient gasoline
vehicles."
Monthly and annual subscriptions to the Web site are available at
GreenerCars.com. The print edition of
ACEEE's Green Book®: The Environmental Guide to Cars and Trucks may
be ordered from ACEEE, retail booksellers, or directly from the
GreenerCars.com Web site for $8.95 plus
$5.00 shipping and handling. Bulk sales discounts are also available. For
further information, contact:
ACEEE Publications
1001 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 801
Washington, D.C. 20036-5525
Phone: 202-429-0063
Fax: 202-429-0193
Email:
ace3pubs@ix.netcom.com
Web site: www.aceee.org
