Will the best fuel efficient car be in a driveway near you soon?

By Buddy Evans, President of Big Bucks Auto™

One of the most fuel efficient cars in the world was featured at the 2009 New York International Auto Show in April.

Honda ranks highest among top fuel efficient cars

The best of the best fuel efficient cars were on display and the Honda FCX Clarity was declared the 2009 World Green Car.

The FCX Clarity gets about 72 miles per gallon and produces zero tailpipe emissions – a pair of stats that earned Honda the honor of producing the most fuel efficient vehicle of the year.

“The FCX Clarity is a symbol of the progress we have made with fuel cell vehicles and our commitment to developing vehicles that meet the societal goals of climate stability, renewable energy supplies and zero-emissions transportation,” Steve Center, Honda’s vice president of national marketing operations, said.

Even though the World Green Car award was presented by ExxonMobil – the planet’s biggest oil company – the feat of being honored among the top fuel efficient cars is a huge win for Honda.

Most fuel efficient cars meet high standards

According to Exxon-Mobil, to be eligible for the award, the best fuel efficient vehicles had to meet a series of qualifications, including:

• availability in at least one major market during 2008;
• in production or an experimental prototype with potential near-future application, provided that it was released for individual or press fleet evaluations in quantities of ten or more during 2008.
• tailpipe emissions, fuel consumption, and use of a major advanced power plant technology (beyond engine componentry), aimed specifically at increasing the vehicle’s environmental responsibility, were all taken into consideration to determine the most fuel efficient car.

Jurists narrow down field of efficient cars

In determining the top fuel efficient cars, which included the Mitsubishi iMiEV and the Toyota iQ, the 59-member jury had strong words of praise for Honda and weighty advice for governments.

“While there is only so much the automotive industry can do when it comes to this technology - governments need to come onboard to help create a true refueling infrastructure. Honda must be credited for taking a bold step in leasing FCX Clarity to customers in California for $600 per month,” the jury found. “There’s still a long way to go before fuel-cell cars will become a commercial success, but hats off to Honda for continuing to advance this expensive technology during a time when every cent counts.”

It’s great to see major car manufacturers still pushing cars that are getting greener by the year and it’s encouraging to see Honda with a top fuel efficient model that seems close to mass production.

Is this the most fuel efficient vehicles will get? Probably not, but it’s a great start

It’s also good to see such a strong showing for fuel efficient vehicles at the 2009 New York International Auto Show (see our article on the auto show, A Look at the 2009 New York International Auto Show).

The time will come when the most fuel efficient cars will be available to the public at large. And, when you see what the best fuel efficient vehicles are, you can sell your used car to Big Bucks Auto.

Buddy Evans is the Vice President of Big Bucks Auto™, one of the largest and most reputable used car buyers in the Tri State Area. Buddy has authored several automotive articles and Big Bucks Auto™ eNewsletters about various topics related to the automotive industry. Visit Buddy and his team at Big Bucks Auto™ to get a free car appraisal. Call us today at 1-888-44-BUCKS or 1-888-442-8257.