Does making the ‘green choice’ mean driving a hybrid?

by aventura, April 25, 2009 | Permalink

So by now, anyone not living under a rock knows about hybrid vehicles and their environmental benefits. However if you are a truly cool, uber-greenie, then you know all about PZE vehicles. Suffice to say, I myself do not rank among the truly uber-cool.  Therefore I recently had to educate myself in order to catch up to the rest of you.   

As part of our celebration of Earth Day on 4/22, we hosted the Subaru Eco-Tour.

Up until this event came across my radar I did not know much about Subaru’s, other than my hippie mother owned two of them in the late 70’s, both orange. Stop laughing. As she tells it, she had never even heard of Subaru until she found them scored near the top of the pile in a Consumer Reports article. She found a dealer and off she went. Twice. In case you weren’t around to enjoy the 70’s the first time, orange was a very cool color choice for cars, or at least that was what she tried convincing me of, but enough about that…

At any rate, I was very excited that we would be hosting this tour at our store and began reading up on their vehicles. My first statement was ‘I didn’t know that Subaru made a hybrid.’  Little did I know that they make something far more intriguing…  

Apparently, Subaru offers one of the most fuel efficient All-Wheel Drive vehicle lineups in America. Since 2003, Subaru has offered several Partial Zero Emissions Certified Vehicles (PZEV) for sale. Gasoline vehicles meeting PZEV emissions standards can have even lower emissions than hybrid or alternative fuel vehicles. Subaru PZEV vehicles are also U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Certified SmartWay These vehicles are honored in the EPA’s Green Vehicle Guide located at http://www.epa.gov/emissweb.

High mile-per-gallon-achieving hybrids, saw a steady increase in sales as the price of a gallon of gasoline climbed skyward. But sticker-shock is common as hybrids can be pricey propositions.  For those that must balance budgetary concerns and functionality with a mission to reduce their carbon-footprint, a PZEV might be a sensible alternative. While hybrid prices have come down in recent years, the cost difference between gas-electrics and conventional gasoline-powered vehicles is still the great divide in the hybrid/gasoline debate. But making the green choice may not necessarily mean driving a hybrid.

While not all models tout the impressive MPG stats of their hybrid cousins, they reportedly make up for it with excellent performance, functionality, roominess, and affordability. Secondly, they completely circumvent the disposal issue of hybrid car batteries. Lastly, Subaru claims that the tailpipe emissions produced by their PZEVs are cleaner than the air outside. Time will tell if the changes we are making today will be enough for future generations. Still, we’re excited by the possibilities.

To read more about Subaru’s “Zero-Landfill” automotive plant or wildlife habitat, visit: http://www.subaru.com/company/environmental-policy.html

2 Responses to “Does making the ‘green choice’ mean driving a hybrid?”

1. Ullis Says:
   February 22nd, 2010 at 12:32 pm

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2. Lyle Vanner Says:
   March 2nd, 2010 at 1:59 pm

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