Action Alerts
Challenge GM and DaimlerChrysler to Compete with Ford on Clean Hybrid Vehicles
The good news
In January at the Detroit Auto Show, Ford Motor Company announced that it would
join Honda and Toyota in introducing innovative gasoline electric hybrid vehicles
to the U.S. market, though not until sometime in 2003. This is great news, and
an early victory for the Clean Car Campaign. Congratulations to all that have
helped to send automakers the message that we want clean cars!
While details of their vehicle plans have not yet been revealed, Ford's announcement
is encouraging because they are the first of the domestic automakers to make a
market commitment to hybrid technology. As we reported in our last Clean Car Update,
Honda and Toyota are both introducing gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles to the
U.S. market this year. The Honda Insight and Toyota Prius are exceptionally fuel
efficient and greatly reduce tailpipe emissions. With their great potential for
market success, Ford's hybrid announcement comes none too soon.
So where are GM and DaimlerChrysler?
To be sure, both GM and DaimlerChrysler have shown off their latest hybrid and
other advanced technology concept vehicles at recent auto shows and special press
events - some pretty neat stuff, actually. But to date, neither automaker has
made a public commitment to putting such vehicles on the market. That could be
a problem if they want to remain competitive in this critically important revolution
to clean vehicle technologies.
What you can do
With today's Action, you can send top GM and DaimlerChrysler officials the message
that they must act quickly to avoid falling behind in the clean car race. We need
all North American automakers to be part of the transition to clean and efficient
hybrid vehicles.
Please see the letter and instructions below to send your own personal message
to GM and DaimlerChryler chief executives. Thanks in advance for your help in
bringing on the Clean Car revolution!
About this Message/For More Information:
This is one of a series of updates and action alerts related to activities of
the Clean Car Campaign being sent to those who took the Clean Car Pledge at: http://www.cleancarcampaign.org
or http://www.edf.org/greencar. Thanks for signing, and we continue to encourage
your help in inviting friends and family to also sign up.
Instructions To Respond Via The Web:
If you have access to a web browser, you can send the targets of this action a
free fax and sign the Clean Car Pledge (if you haven't already) by going to the
Environmental
Defense Member Action Site: http://actionnetwork.org/add.tcl?domain=Clean%5fCar
You will be required to log-in and establish a password prior to taking the
action.
Sample Letter
Mr. Robert Eaton / Juergen Schrempp
Mr. Jack Smith
In January at the Detroit Auto Show, Ford Motor Co. announced that they would
join Honda and Toyota in introducing innovative gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles
to the U.S. market. These hybrid vehicles offer the best near-term opportunity
to provide consumers with practical vehicles that meet the Clean Car Standard
(see http://www.cleancarcampaign.org). Therefore, despite the three-year lag time,
I am encouraged by Ford's announcement to join this clean car race and concerned
that your company has not yet committed to producing and marketing these vehicles.
While your company has shown concept vehicles that have promise, putting cleaner
vehicles into the marketplace is what really matters.
I would like the choice of purchasing a clean, efficient vehicle from your company,
and challenge you to provide a range of vehicle choices in the near future that
significantly reduce environmental impacts. In order to guide my next vehicle
purchase, I will be using the Clean Car Standard developed by the Clean Car Campaign,
a national coalition of environmental organizations. The Standard establishes
tough environmental criteria for 1) improved fuel efficiency; 2) low tailpipe
emissions; and 3) clean manufacturing and materials.
Honda, Toyota and now Ford may gain an important advantage from being first to
the market with this new generation of clean and efficient vehicles. I ask you
to act quickly to provide a range of vehicle choices that meet the Clean Car Standard,
including at least one mainstream hybrid vehicle by the time Ford enters this
market in 2003. Your timely entrance into this clean car race will help ensure
a vibrant domestic auto industry and a cleaner environment.
Sincerely yours,
