The Green Car Journal, an industry leading publication well versed in all things “green”, recently announced their annual ‘Green Car of The Year’ awards. Taking home the most coveted trophy wasn’t a EV, hybrid or diesel but the industry’s only mass-produced compressed natural gas (CNG) powered vehicle. Reigning as the 2011 Green Car of The Year is the 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas.
Picked due to its “outstanding environmental performance”, the Civic Natural Gas is truly one-of-a kind as it is the only factory-built CNG car made inside the United States. Produced at Honda’s manufacturing plant in Indiana, the car uses a modified 1.8 liter inline four cylinder and conventional automatic transmission. Unlike previous CNG Hondas, the 2012 will be widely available as it will soon be offered at 200 dealerships across 36 states. With lower fill-up costs (CNG averages $1.85 a gallon), ultra-low emissions and the ability to traverse in California’s High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) ‘carpool’ lane, the Civic Natural Gas is an alternative fuel vehicle that isn’t so alternative.
“The Civic Natural Gas is not only a great vehicle, it also demonstrates Honda’s commitment to provide a variety of alternatives to gasoline,” said Michael Accavitti, vice president of marketing at American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “The Civic Natural Gas and the all-new Fit EV that we introduced yesterday at the Los Angeles Auto Show are the latest additions to a rapidly expanding family of alternative energy Honda vehicles aimed at cutting petroleum use and reducing our carbon footprint.”
Source: Honda
