Green Car Summit at the 2008 Washington Auto Show

Leading Voices Focus on Automobiles, Energy, and Environmental Strategies

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 -- Green Car Journal is presenting its inaugural Green Car Summit at the 2008 Washington Auto Show, scheduled from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Jan. 22, International Media Day, at the Washington Convention Center.

Two panels comprised of automotive, energy, and government leaders will tackle such topics as reducing CO2 greenhouse gas emissions and exploring strategies for oil displacement and long-term sustainability.

"There's no question that achieving much greater fuel efficiency will require a vastly increased effort and investment on the part of the auto industry in the years ahead," says Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of the Green Car Journal and editor of GreenCar.com. But what form will this effort take, which technologies will prevail, and how can we put them into practice at a reasonable cost in the short timeframe required? These are among the questions that panelists will address."

As multiple fuels and technologies compete for prominence in the marketplace, continuing advancements make newer gasoline engines more efficient than ever. Meanwhile, new car buyers seek significantly greater fuel economy without sacrificing their vehicle preferences and are looking to advanced technologies and fuels as a way to cut costs and lower their environmental impact.

In celebration of the debut of the Green Car Summit, a "Green Car Parade" officially launches the event. These cars will be featured inside the show's "Green Car Pavilion."

Panelists participating in the day's summit include executives from Ford, General Motors, and Toyota, along with the leaders of the nation's major fuel and technology organizations such as Electric Drive Transportation Association, National Hydrogen Association, NGVAmerica, and the Renewable Fuels Association. Their perspectives on the roles that electricity, hydrogen, natural gas, and ethanol will play in the years ahead promise to be enlightening. Moderators include Cogan and Warren Brown, automotive columnist for The Washington Post.

The Washington Auto Show, scheduled from Jan. 23 to Jan. 27, connects the auto industry with the public policy process in a way that no other show can, uniting Washington's political elite with those on the cutting edge of the auto industry. With its theme of "Engineered for the Future," the show provides an important platform for alternative fuels, low-emission vehicles, and other "green" technologies.

For more information about the 2008 show, visit www.washingtonautoshow.com.