Eco-conscious

In case you missed the memo, today is Earth Day -- a day that's meant to focus the world's attention on pollution, climate change, and other environmental issues. Once upon a time, the auto industry was wary of being entangled in environmental discussions, afraid that it could never win arguments...Read More»

It's a fact: shoppers prioritize different things when looking for new cars. Today, people tend to rank fuel economy above all else, but other folks crave reliability, some need performance, and still others prefer rides that reflect their lifestyle. If you fall into that last category and...Read More»

There's been a lot of discussion the past few weeks about gas prices and the effect they're having on vehicle sales. One the one hand, we've seen studies indicating that fuel efficiency is now the leading factor in new car purchases -- data that jibes pretty well with the increased popularity of...Read More»

Earlier this week, we told you about Nielsen's first-ever "Green Marketer of the Year" award and about the five automakers the research firm had named as finalists: Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, and Toyota. The envelope has now been passed and opened, and -- drumroll, please -- the winner...Read More»

If you live in an urban area, you've probably fantasized about ditching your car. It's to be expected, given all the traffic and construction detours and clueless pedestrians and parking hassles. But kicking the car habit is tough, and if you're serious about it, you may need help. To make the...Read More»

We talk a lot about green rides here at TCC -- in fact, the HighGearMedia family boasts several sites that rank eco-friendliness among their top priorities. But as interested as consumers may be in hybrids and EVs and fuel-economy, many also want to see that the companies themselves are operating...Read More»

Like a lot of corporations, Ford Motor Company understands the value of going green, and the automaker is now encouraging its dealers to get onboard with energy conservation, too. The push comes via Ford's ‘Go Green’ Dealership Sustainability Program, which was unveiled over the weekend at the...Read More»

Aftermarket customization is nothing new: for decades, proud car owners have made use of special accessories and paint jobs to distinguish their rides. But thanks to technological developments, it's now become easy to mass produce wraps for vehicles -- and to do so with remarkable consistency...Read More»

China is in a curious position. Its auto market is very big, and it's positioned to get much, much bigger, but the Chinese government doesn't want the country's automakers to move down the traditional path of combustion-engine vehicles. Rather, it wants to grow an indigenous green vehicle industry...Read More»

The international Convention on Climate Change is making headlines this week, so it's no surprise that EV startup Tesla and its spotlight-friendly CEO, Elon Musk, are taking their show to Copenhagen, offering test drives of the current Tesla Roadster and crowing about the car's eco-friendly...Read More»

Honda's reputation as a manufacturer of green automobiles is about to get a little greener: the company is retooling much of its product line, including the popular Honda Civic, to boost fuel economy and keep auto prices low. Given the lingering financial crisis plaguing most of the world and oil...Read More»

Speaking of marketing campaigns, DDB Stockholm recently launched an interesting one for Volkswagen called "The Fun Theory". The campaign encourages people to alter lazy behaviors by showing that acting responsibly can be -- yes -- fun. The best stunt so far involves a subway station, where DDB...Read More»

Hot on the heels of Fisker's announcement about fuel efficiency for its Karma sedan comes word of a new luxury vehicle from Jaguar that bears a few technological similarities to the Karma. Based on the Jaguar XJ, the new plug-in hybrid/extended-range electric concept has been dubbed the Limo-Green...Read More»

The Jay Leno Comedy Show doesn't debut until next week, but details have already emerged about the program's "Green Car Challenge" (an eco-friendly version of Top Gear's "Star in a Reasonably Priced Car" segment). Apparently, the vehicle that Tom Cruise and others will be driving is a very special...Read More»

Since the Honda FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cell vehicle launched over a year ago, it's gotten a good bit of coverage here at TCC, even though there are only about 10 models on the highways of America and Japan. That's a long way from Honda's goal of leasing 200 units in the Clarity's first three...Read More»

Hypermilers, eco-enthusiasts, and speed demons take note: racers Jean Paul Libert and Nelson Philippe are here to make your day a little brighter. They've devised a new program called I Drive Green that teaches motorists to burn less gas, emit less CO2, and get where they're going a little faster...Read More»

In The High Cost of Free Parking, Donald Shoup breaks down the real expense of free lots and garages (e.g. the kind at malls) and finds that they frequently run five figures per parking space. Developers may pay for it up front, but the public pays in terms of air quality, a rise in commercial...Read More»

We're all about education here at TCC, and we think programs like the Livable Streets Initiative's "Street Films" project are pretty gosh darned awesome -- especially when they encourage kids to think about transportation, the environment, pollution, and anything else besides MySpace and the...Read More»