Honda Motor Co. will start evaluating all of its suppliers on their environmental aspects under the newest revision of its Green Purchasing Guidelines.

As the auto industry faces tougher fuel-economy standards, engineers are working on longer-term fixes for what ails today’s models: too much weight, inefficient engines, a troubled fuel source for gasoline-powered cars and recalcitrant batteries in electric ones. Here’s a look at four technologies that could make cars more environmentally friendly.

Although it might be a stretch to say that something good has come of last summer’s tragic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, a new announcement this morning from General Motors showcases the power of creative thinking.

The company is planning to collect the booms used to absorb oil from the spill* along 100 miles of the Alabama and Louisiana coasts and recycle them into parts to be used in the new Chevy Volt…

* [Not the booms made from pantyhose donated by Hooters. - Ed.]

The U.S. Department of Energy’s 50/50 cost-shared project validates fuel cell vehicles and hydrogen fueling stations under real-world operating conditions and demonstrates advances in research. A total of 152 vehicles and 24 fueling stations have reported data to the DOE’s project, including vehicles from General Motors, Ford, and Hyundai Kia, in addition to Mercedes-Benz. These vehicles have traveled over 2.8 million miles and have shown a durability of 2,500 hours, equivalent to about 75,000 miles.

Mercedes-Benz North America has been involved since 2005 and will continue to provide critical data to the DOE from 20 of the fuel cell vehicles being announced today. The second generation, B-class Mercedes-Benz vehicles are designed to have a 270-mile driving range on one tank of hydrogen and take less than 5 minutes to fill. It is also currently certified by the EPA and CARB as a zero-emission vehicle for the 2011 model year.

Vehicles will be delivered to select customers in California before the end of this year. The full 70 vehicle fleet will be deployed by 2012. Based on successful performance of these vehicles, Mercedes-Benz anticipates commercialization of fuel cell vehicles in the 2015 timeframe.

“Increasing fuel efficiency is important for our environment, our economy and our health – and it helps families save money at the pump,” EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson said. “This guide will help consumers make the right choice for the environment and for their wallets when buying a car.”

“This year’s Fuel Economy Guide will allow consumers to choose fuel efficient vehicles that will save them money at the pump, while helping to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and limiting carbon pollution,” said Energy Secretary Steven Chu. “Fuel efficient vehicles help reduce driving costs for American families while continuing to deliver the highest standards of vehicle performance.”

Fuel efficient models come in all types, classes, and sizes. The 2011 Fuel Economy Guide can help consumers easily identify the most fuel efficient vehicles that meet their needs.  Overall, the best fuel economy performers are hybrids, but the 2011 fuel economy leaders also include fuel efficient clean diesels as well as gasoline models.

Each vehicle listing in the guide provides an estimated annual fuel cost. The estimate is calculated based on the vehicle’s miles per gallon (mpg) rating and national estimates for annual mileage and fuel prices. The online version of the guide allows consumers to input their local gasoline prices and typical driving habits to receive a personalized fuel cost estimate.

For the first time, the guide includes medium-duty passenger vehicles, which are generally large sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and passenger vans. These vehicles were not previously subject to fuel economy measurement and labeling requirements.

EPA and DOE will provide additional fuel economy information online as more 2011 vehicles, including electric and plug-in hybrid cars, become available.

In addition to being available on the EPA/DOE website and in automobile dealer showrooms, the Fuel Economy Guide is also readily accessible from many mobile devices (fueleconomy.gov/m).

• More information, including a complete version of the guide:  http://www.fueleconomy.gov
• View the 2011 fuel economy leaders within each class and the lowest fuel economy models: http://www.epa.gov/fueleconomy/basicinformation.htm

Going car shopping has never been more complicated for someone who wants to buy a fuel-efficient vehicle. New labels touting efficiency should help end the confusion when it comes to buying electric or hybrid cars. But is it enough for the average consumer to make the move from fuel?

The new 2011 Ford Explorer will offer more eco-friendly features including soy foam in seat cushions and seatbacks as well as at least a 25 percent increase in fuel economy over the current model. Ford is expanding its use of bio-based soy foam through nearly all of its vehicle lineup this year as part of an ongoing effort to use more renewable and recyclable materials

The report, Assessing Improvement in the Energy Efficiency of U.S. Auto Assembly Plants, affirms EPA’s energy management strategy, particularly the importance of performance measurement and recognition for top performance.  The report also demonstrates that the gap between top performing plants and others has closed and the performance of the industry as a whole has improved.

Central to this energy management approach is the Energy Star Energy Performance Indicator (EPI) for auto assembly plants, which enables industry to benchmark plant energy performance against peers and over time.  Energy Star EPIs exist or are under development for more than 20 other industries.  Across these industries, EPA has recognized nearly 60 manufacturing plants with the Energy Star label, representing savings of more than $500 million and more than 6 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually.

The U.S. industrial sector accounts for more than 30 percent of energy use in the United States. If the energy efficiency of industrial facilities improved by 10 percent, EPA estimates that Americans would save nearly $20 billion and reduce greenhouse gas emissions equal to the emissions from the electricity use of more than 22 million homes for a year.  Hundreds of industrial companies across more than a dozen manufacturing industries are working with EPA’s Energy Star program to develop strong energy management programs, earn the Energy Star for their plants and achieve breakthrough improvements in energy efficiency.

Read the report: http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/institute/Duke_EE_WP_10-01.pdf

More information about Energy Star’s work with the auto manufacturing industry: http://www.energystar.gov/industry

The event boasted 104 total attendees from LEADER Companies and potential LEADER Companies (many Fortune 500), DOE and state-level officials, university representatives, a regional nonprofit group, and personnel from Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Nissan became a DOE Save Energy Now LEADER in October 2009, pledging to reduce its energy intensity by 25% in 10 years. As a LEADER, Nissan offered to host this first-of-its-kind event, displaying its project implementation, energy-management strategies, and measurement and verification systems. The tour showcased several of the energy-management projects Nissan implemented following DOE-sponsored energy assessments. Among the projects that are helping Nissan save more than $10 million annually in reduced energy costs are:

• Installed variable-frequency drives
• Reduced number of air compressors
• Lowered air pressure
• Chiller upgrades and replacement
• Lighting fixture and controls upgrades

For more information on DOE’s efforts to reduce industrial energy intensity, visit the Save Energy Now Web site at: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/industry/saveenergynow/.

Save Energy Now LEADER Industrial Sustainability and Energy Management Showcase contacts:

Nissan: Ken Roden (615) 459-1832 Ken.Roden@nmm.nissan-usa.com
DOE: Scott Hutchins (202) 586-0670 Scott.Hutchins@hq.doe.gov