Sustainable Car Technology Is Celebrated in Washington

Sustainable drivers these days are fairly spoilt for choice when it comes to green cars as the industry is constantly updating the market with more fuel efficient, low emission machines, which in some cases, such electric vehicles, no longer run on fossil fuels.

In order to celebrate such diversity, Green Car Journal is holding the inaugural Green Car Technology Award presented at The Washington Auto Show. The winner will be announced on January 31 during the show's second Policy Day.

A range of technologies will be competing for recognition, from drivetrain components to on-board systems, all of which should result in a positive environmental outcome. In order to qualify, the technologies should be in the market already. The show will also feature advanced technology and clean fuel vehicles on display.

The nominees for the Green Car Technology Award include Fiat MultiAir, Fisker Automotive Ever, Ford Auto Stop-Start, Ford EcoBoost, Ford Energi, Honda Eco Assist, Mazda SkyACTIV, Nissan Easy-Fill Tire Alert, Tesla Powertrain, Toyota RAV4 EV Powertrain.

"The 'green' technologies that make possible achieving ever-higher efficiencies and lower environmental impact are often the unsung heroes of the automotive world," said Ron Cogan , editor and publisher of the Green Car Journal and CarsOfChange.com. "Whether employed in alternative fuel or conventionally powered vehicles, these technologies work in their own ways toward bringing us more environmentally positive transportation without sacrificing the functionality and driving enjoyment we expect from our vehicles."

Sustainable cars such as electric vehicles have gained market acceptance with the launch of popular models such as Nissan Leaf and Ford Focus. Nissan has taken the concept further and started developing a two-way system made of lithium-on batteries that can turn the LEAF into a storage system to feed power back to a house at during outage and shortage periods. The batteries can store up to 24kWh of electricity, which is enough to power an average Japanese home for two days.

Image credit: Washington Auto Show