Honda loses position of Greenest automaker to Hyundai

Korean automaker Hyundai though a late comer to environment friendly car market, has been quick to adopt hybrid technology and other anti-pollution measures to make low-fuel consuming engines. Its adoption of environment friendly technology in all its automobile manufacturing processes has enabled it to unseat long time rival Honda Motors as world’s most environment conscious carmaker.  According to latest rankings released by Union of Concerned Scientists, a non –profit organization working on reducing climate change and chemical weapon control, besides Hyundai and Honda, Toyota, Nissan and Volkswagen are among top five carmakers in this list. American firms Ford, General Motors and Chrysler were at the bottom of this list as they are still to make all their vehicles fuel efficient.

Vehicles makers around the world especially in Europe and United States have to meet strong emission norms and by 2017 these regulations will include better high fuel efficiency and lesser emission. Carmakers are therefore making sure that their vehicles under production are able to meet the environment regulations of 2017 in terms of fuel consumption and emission levels.  Besides traditional hybrid carmakers like Toyota and Honda, even other carmakers like Audi and Mercedes are making better engines to reduce emission and increase fuel efficiency. To reduce dependency on traditional fuels even manufacturers of sports cars which are fuel guzzlers have moved to alternative bio-fuels and hybrid engines.

According to this monitoring organization “Union of Concerned Scientists” the top eight automakers in the world are using technologies to reduce impact of their vehicles on global warming. Honda is using techniques like turbocharged engines on their sports utility vehicles to increase torque and hydrogen fuel cells on hybrid models.  Honda is following in footprints of Toyota in making a hybrid or electric version of all its models therefore giving customers a non-polluting option too though at a higher price. Since recharging batteries was a major hindrance to electric and battery operated cars, carmakers like Honda, Toyota, Hyundai and Volkswagen have now developed technology of plug-in hybrid cars which can be charged at home using simple technology.

Hyundai’s Kia brand which concentrates on making hybrid cars which use a combination of petrol and electric power and also improves fuel efficiency by using turbocharging technology was specially praised by this environment group for its efforts. Honda now has to work harder to makes its cars more fuel efficient and reduce dependence on fossil fuels like diesel and petrol.  To take back its position as world “Greenest car maker” Honda has to improve research and development efforts which will enable it make fuel efficient vehicles which will have smaller carbon footprints therefore will be more environmental friendly.   Honda follows a long term vision with regard to environment sustainability therefore will continue to invest in future technology. Honda has recently revealed two concepts in China with hybrid power which are targeted towards youth to make them aware of latest technology.  Honda has adopted a strict regimen of processes during production of its cars to keep wastage to a minimum and enable mobility in people’s lives through making available a sustainable range of vehicles.