The five finalists for the 2012 Green Car of the Year award were announced today and there are four different powertrains among them.
They include the 2012 Ford Focus Electric, 2012 Mitsubishi i, 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas, 2012 Toyota Prius v and 2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI.
The Focus and i are electrics. The Prius v is the wagon version of the popular hybrid Prius. The Passat TDI is a clean diesel. And the Civic is the only natural gas car on sale by a major maker aimed at consumers.
For the seventh consecutive year, the Green Car of the Year honors environmental leadership in the automotive field. The Green Car of the Year award recognizes vehicles that become available by January 1 of the award year.
Narrowing the field to five nominees these days is no easy thing, according to Green Car Journal editors. Literally dozens of models are considered that feature improved environmental impact and increased efficiencies. Vehicles running on all fuels and technologies weigh in, including high-efficiency gasoline and diesel models along with ones that run on gaseous fuels, electricity and other alternative fuels. Along with quantifiable environmental achievement, market significance and ‘newness’ are but a few of many criteria considered as the field is narrowed to a final five.
Green Car of the Year jurors include leaders of the nation’s top environmental organizations, including Carl Pope, chairman of the Sierra Club; Frances Beinecke, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council; Jean-Michel Cousteau, president of Ocean Futures Society and Matt Petersen, president of Global Green USA. Also, Jay Leno, noted auto enthusiast and host of the “Tonight Show,” as well as automotive icon Carroll Shelby join Green Car Journal editors in rounding out the 2012 jury.
Last year’s winner was the 2011 Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle, ending a two-year dominance of the clean diesels (in 2009 the Audi A3 TDI and in 2008 the VW Jetta TDI won the award).
The 2012 Green Car of the Year Award will be presented at the 2011 L.A. Auto Show next month.
