Honda (News - Alert) and other Japanese cars saw an increase in sales in the US after the Oil Crisis of the 70s, and they haven't looked back since. The introduction of hybrids came years later and another Japanese company, Toyota dominates the market. The Prius is the best-selling hybrid, and many other automakers have introduced their own versions of hybrids after witnessing the success Toyota experienced with this model. While Honda had a green electric vehicle (EV) years ago, it was the wrong car at the wrong time. The new Accord hybrid has come a long way, and it was named 2014 Green Car of the Year at the LA Auto show by Green Car Journal.
The Accord received the award after beating four finalists, which shows the competition for the green market is getting tougher as more automakers continue to enter the field with new models every year. The other finalists were: the Audi A6 TDI (News - Alert), the BMW 328d, the Mazda3 and the Toyota Corolla. The winner was chosen by jurors that included car aficionado and Tonight Show host Jay Leno and environmentalist Jean-Michel Cousteau.
The winning sedan offers gasoline, gasoline-battery hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions, giving consumer multiple options when it comes to choosing the right hybrid. The four cylinder hybrid is rated at 47 mpg and the plug-in hybrid at 46 mpg under gasoline power, and 115 mpg-equivalent under hybrid-electric power, compared to only 30 mpg for the regular four-cylinder Accord.
Although there are many very high-end electric vehicles in the market such as the Tesla Model S, the goal of the award is to recognize vehicles that can be accessible to most consumers. At $100,000 or more, the Model S has a very limited market, and although the technology it uses may be worthy of an award, the vehicles with the lower price points will have a bigger impact on the environment because of the number of people that are able to afford it.
The hybrid market is introducing many new variations, and next year there will be more vehicles from other manufacturers with zero-emissions, including hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles, plug-ins, battery-electric models, and advanced gasoline and diesel models.
Edited by Ryan Sartor