Green Car Journal Announces Finalists for Technology, SUV, and Luxury Green Car Awards

WASHINGTON -- Nov. 10, 2014: Green Car Journal has announced finalists for the 2015 Luxury Green Car of the Year™, 2015 Green Car Technology Award™, and 2015 Green SUV of the Year™, part of the expanded Green Car Awards program at The Washington Auto Show®. Winners will be announced in Washington DC during the show's Public Policy Day at the Washington Convention Center on January 22.

"Automakers are stepping up to meet the challenge of offering increasingly efficient, environmentally positive vehicles in all classes of vehicles," said Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of the Green Car Journal and CarsOfChange.com. "Their achievements in improving environmental impact in the popular SUV segment, an inclusive focus on aspirational vehicles, and use of innovative 'green' technologies deserve to be recognized."

Green SUV of the Year™ finalists include the Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell, Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel, Lexus NX 300h, and Mazda CX-5. These notable crossovers and SUVs include hybrid, hydrogen, high efficiency gasoline, and clean diesel models.

Finalists for Luxury Green Car of the Year™ are the Audi A8 TDI, BMW i8, Cadillac ELR, Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid, and Tesla Model S. The field includes clean diesel, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and battery electric aspirational vehicles that achieve improved environmental performance in distinctly different ways.

Green Car Technology Award™ finalists comprise an array of enabling technologies that make it possible for vehicle models of all types to achieve improved environmental performance. The field of finalists includes the BMW i8 Plug-In Hybrid Powertrain, BMW i3 REx Range Extender, Chevrolet CNG Bi-Fuel Powertrain, Ford F-150 Aluminum Body, Ford 2.7-liter EcoBoost V-6, Honda 1.5-liter Earth Dreams Engine, Kia Soul Electric Powertrain, Tesla Dual Motor AWD, Volvo Drive-E, and the VW e-Golf Electric Powertrain. The Cadillac ELR's 'Regen on Demand' system was honored as the Green Car Technology Award winner in 2014 with Mazda's SKYACTIV technology honored in 2013.

"As the central address where the auto industry meets public policy, The Washington Auto Show recognizes the critical role of sustainability in this sector and our role in promoting progress," said Kevin Reilly, chairman, The Washington Auto Show, washingtonautoshow.com. "We are thrilled to partner with the Green Car Journal in putting those issues front and center."