2011 Nissan Leaf and 2011 Chevrolet Volt are among the five cars named on Thursday as finalists for 2011 Green Car of the Year Award, which will be presented at the L.A. Auto Show next month.
For the first time, the Green Car of the Year finalists include two primarily electric-drive vehicles in addition to two hybrids and a high mile-per-gallon, gasoline internal combustion engine.
The 2011 Chevrolet Volt and the 2011 Nissan Leaf are joining the pack of finalists, which also includes the 2011 Ford Fiesta, the 2011 Hyundai Sonata hybrid and the 2011 Lincoln MKZ hybrid.
Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of Green Car Journal, said the finalists “reflect an auto industry in transition. It wasn’t long ago when electric drive was a novelty. Now, it’s expected that auto manufacturers will include electric drive in some form among their model offerings.”
Now in its sixth consecutive year, the Green Car of the Year award honors environmental leadership in the automotive field and recognizes vehicles available to consumers during the award year.
Last year’s winner was the Audi A3 TDI.
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 2011 jury.
[source: Pure Green Cars]
