Green Washing at the Chicago Auto Show (Part 2 in a series)
When we did some research on the Lincoln EcoBoost we determined that the eco in EcoBoost needed a boost of its own in order to be truly environmental. Our last blog referred to how we thought the Lincoln EcoBoost was a form of green washing that was introduced at the 2010 Auto Show. It is possible that Lincoln itself agrees since the EcoBoost was much toned down at the 2011 Auto Show, with more fanfare being given to the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid, a truly greener car.
If you drive a high performance car and want to make a smaller impact on your fuel economy, then EcoBoost can give you a slightly better chance at this than the same car that does not have EcoBoost. Note, the key word here is slightly, as demonstrated below.
Lincoln MKS without Ford EcoBoost: 16/23mpg
Lincoln MKS with Ford EcoBoost: 17/25mpg
Yes, these numbers are directly from Ford Lincoln and are therefore the actual miles per gallon that Lincoln estimates you will get. With the EcoBoost you can expect to gain 1mpg in the city and 2mpg on the highway. And the cost difference for this “eco” car is only $6,890 more than it’s “non-eco” counterpart.
So, it’s not really an eco car. Although, to be fair to Lincoln, they never did say it was eco. They just said it was an eco boost.
That being said, if you want a high performance car that can be slightly more efficient when you are racing it on a track and get V8 power with a V6, then you may want to buy an EcoBoost car. If you are conscientious of the environment then the EcoBoost may just be a little too much like green washing for your needs.
Our eco car service uses hybrids to reduce emissions by up to 80% in our industry. This is a point we stress repeatedly but it is so important because limo service cars idle the majority of the time they are working. They idle in the limo lot waiting for planes, they idle at curbsides waiting for passengers, and they idle in city traffic.
Limos do not require V8 high performance; most clients do not want to be driven around like they are in a high speed chase. Limos need to be comfortable, clean, and reliable. They need to be driven by chauffeurs who know how to drive smoothly and safely. If you are an eco car service, limos also need to be truly eco friendly; otherwise all of the idling limo cars do will not make a difference on the environment.
Limo companies need to start being responsible for their contribution to greenhouse gases. It’s not enough that people are starting to think green. Limousine companies need to actually start going green. When it comes to the limo industry, cars with EcoBoost aren’t going to reduce emissions enough to make an impact.
There are many sedans that can get up to 40mpg without an EcoBoost option and some hybrids are able to get up to 50 and 60mpg. Other options such as hydrogen powered vehicles are already becoming more feasible. Realistically, electric vehicles will be on the market soon enough with unlimited mpg and they will have zero tailpipe emissions.
So, whether you are an eco car service or a consumer interested in reducing your carbon footprint, going green can go beyond green washing. Hybrids are one of the greenest choices we currently have available and EVs will most likely be next.
If you’re interested in learning more about EVs, stay tuned for our upcoming blogs, where we not only discuss EVs, but also the greenest hybrid we found at the 2011 Chicago Auto Show.