Media to Test Drive the Latest Clean Diesel, Electric, Hydrogen Fuel Cell and Hybrid Vehicles
The Los Angeles Auto Show will host a unique opportunity for journalists to
drive some of the most advanced green cars on Dec. 3 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30
p.m. The Green Cars/LA Auto Show Ride & Drive will enable journalists to
experience back-to-back comparison drives of exciting, new and experimental
models that offer high fuel efficiency, low environmental impact or run on a
variety of alternative fuels. The Ride & Drive is sponsored by Southern
California Edison (SCE) and the American Chemistry Council’s Plastics Make it Possible(SM) campaign.
As the first major North American auto show of the season, the LA Auto Show has developed a strong reputation as a key show for emerging green trends and vehicles. During the show’s second Press Day, multiple vehicles from ten manufacturers representing North American, European and Asian automakers will be on hand to test drive on the streets of L.A.
Some participating vehicles are so new or in such limited quantity that
previous test drive opportunities have been very rare or simply unavailable,
such as the Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid, Porsche Cayenne Hybrid, Porsche Cayenne Diesel and the electric Volkswagen E-Up!. Other green vehicles available to test drive include the BMW 335d, Chevy Equinox Fuel Cell, Honda FCX Clarity, MINI-E, Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Mitsubishi i car, Volkswagen Euro Polo Blue Motion and Touareg TDI, plus others. Three 2010 Green Car of the Year(R) finalists are featured as well, including the Audi A3 TDI, Honda Insight and the Volkswagen Golf TDI.
"Today’s sharper focus on efficiency, CO2 reduction and better overall
environmental performance has brought greater momentum to all types of ‘green’ vehicles, whether they’re powered by advanced gasoline and diesel engines or alternatives like electricity, hydrogen or biofuels," says Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of the Green Car Journal, editor of GreenCar.com (http://www.greencar.com/) and organizer of the Ride & Drive. "The ride and
drive enables journalists attending the LA Auto Show to get behind the wheel of these innovative vehicles and put them through their paces on city streets."
The Ride & Drive will be accompanied by displays from Southern California
Edison and Plastics Make it Possible(SM). Auto show participants who visit
SCE’s exhibit will get an early view of what they need to do to get their homes
plug-in and electric vehicle ready. SCE experts will provide answers to
frequently asked questions about electricity rates, charging equipment,
installation options and when to call the electric utility. Plastics Make it
Possible(SM) is a new campaign sponsored by the American Chemistry Council that highlights innovative uses of plastics. Within the automotive industry, plastics are helping improve vehicles through safety, performance and style. When it comes to the latest "green" vehicles, plastics allow manufacturers to make cars lighter and more fuel efficient, reducing green house gas emissions. Over the past decade, recycled plastics have been increasingly used in vehicle interiors and upholstery, allowing plastics to live a second life in
automobiles.
About Green Car Journal(R)
Since 1992, Green Car Journal has focused on the intersection of
automobiles, energy, and environment, first with an industry newsletter and
then with an award-winning auto enthusiast magazine. Today, the magazine is
considered the premier source of information on high fuel efficiency, low
emission, advanced technology and alternative fuel vehicles. A sample of the
print edition may be viewed online at www.GCJUSA.com.
About Southern California Edison
Southern California Edison (SCE) is one of the nation’s largest electric
utilities, serving a population of nearly 14 million via 4.9 million customer
accounts. SCE operates the nation’s largest private electric vehicle fleet,
including almost 300 vehicles that have logged more than 17 million miles.
About Plastics Make it Possible(SM)
Plastics Make it Possible highlights the many ways plastics inspire
innovations that improve our lives, solve big problems and help us design a
safer, more promising future. Plastics Make it Possible is sponsored by the
plastics industries (http://www.americanchemistry.com/plastics/) of the
American Chemistry Council (http://www.americanchemistry.com/s_acc/index.asp).
About the Los Angeles Auto Show
The show opens for media only Dec. 2 and 3 with public days running from
Dec. 4-13. The Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d’Automobiles
(OICA), the world automobile trade association, has officially named the Los
Angeles Auto Show as one of its sanctioned international exhibits for the 2009
auto show season. Additional information about the Los Angeles Auto Show is
online at www.LAautoshow.com.