How car companies are marketing gas guzzlers as green.

Car makers, desperate to move lingering inventories, are immersed in frenzied marketing campaigns, bombarding us with TV ads that dangle attractive zero-down financing and $1,000 rebates. While the sticker deals appeal to all consumers, the language lauding eco-flavored 2011 models is shamelessly aimed at a specific audience: The responsible buyer who might break down and crossover to a road hog at last.

Consider the Ford Flex Ecoboost edition. Praised for its twin turbocharged 3.5 liter engine offering V8 power and unsurpassed,V6-like fuel efficiency (EPA estimated 16 city/21hwy/18 combined mpg), it hauls ass fast for what is essentially a reconfigured minivan for seven passengers and minimal cargo space. The term “ecoboost” is a grabber – one that implies the stretch cube is infused with the kind of green engineering that will end global warming and reduce landfill plastic. But in reality, it means if you need to commute daily in a flashy bus, the gas savings is better than most.

Edmunds notes, “despite the added power and performance, the EcoBoost V6 manages to achieve the same fuel economy as the standard V6.” While the auto review publication admits the Flex isn’t “sporty” it adds that “the EcoBoost variants should supply enough excitement for the majority of drivers.”

Male reviewers love the giddy up of the Flex, which takes a mere 6.6 seconds to reach 60 mph while enjoying a quiet, smooth, Coupe Deville kind of ride. This punch makes it much more fun to drive than the standard model – and for an additional $10,670, the boost should be quite a blast. As Chrysler emphasizes in its recent Town and Country ads, safety and technology should be standard – not costly options – and the same should apply to fuel efficiency and other green benefits – which now greatly jack up prices.

This is especially true with new breed of  SUV hybrids – like the Chevy Tahoe – packaged as a great gas saving sport vehicle and retailing for up to $53,000 and change. This is compared to the non hybrid which sells for a more affordable sticker price of $37,000 and upwards.

What do you get for the extra $15,000? Well, you get to flaunt the eco moniker, for one thing, plus pretty good mileage for a sporty soccer mom shuttle. The Tahoe boasts better fuel economy than any competitors in its class: an EPA estimated 20 MPG in the city, 23 on the highway. This with 332 horsepower, 367 lb-ft of torque and up to 6,2000 lbs. of towing capacity. Towing capacity is always important in considering a hybrid. Sure it is!

Essentially, this means the SUV holds up to some of the new mid-size hybrids, like the 2011 Ford  Fusion – rated number two in its class, and demonstrating efficiency with 23 mpg in the city. Priced at around $28,000, it  also wows with eco-friendly cloth seats and an eco flow display system to track the power-train’s four modes of operation. But both the Fusion -with these sexy green features – and the Tahoe seem ridiculous when compared with the original gas savers, like the Toyota Prius,which gets 51/48 mpg city/highway.

Some complain about capacity, along with low visibility in the Prius – but avid composters and reusable bag toters seem to have adjusted just fine. The pernicious greenwashing of the hogs may assuage the guilt in choosing an SUV, but serves little other purpose.

Perhaps Lexus – the leader in the luxury SUV hybrid market – has performed the most egregious washing to date in its partnership with the Fairmont hotels to offer “the Lexus Hybrid Living Eco-chic  Suites” in San Francisco and Washington.

Auto Blog Green called the marketing ploy “taking hybrid hype to the next level” because it links the experience of driving the Lexus LS 600h (a $111,000, 21 mpg, 12 cylinder sedan) with green amenities that can make the affluent feel good about their footprints: bamboo furnishings, an organic mattress, a mini bar stocked with local biodynamic wines and coffee tables fabricated with recycled leather from Lexus cars. It only runs $869 a night – a pittance for potential buyers of an LS 600h – a hybrid which emits an annual 8.7 tons of CO2 with an air pollution score of 8 out of 10.

It all boils down to experience, really, and how much you care about the price of filling up and emitting. If you care a great deal, you might be a Smart Car or Nissan Leaf devotee. If you have those concerns, but care more about power and luxury, you just might buy into the green hype, getting the comfort and status you need along with an eco-boost from the letter “H” glued on the rear for all to see.

Images: Ford; GM; Toyota; Lexus

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In stark contrast with news of the devastating earthquake and loss of life in Haiti this week, greener vehicles, energy activism and conservation law enforcement gave the blogosphere reasons to hope (and post).

Hybrid, electric, and compact vehicles more fuel-efficient than what’s ever sold before – like the Cadillac XTS Platinum, the Ford Fusion Hybrid, the Nissan Leaf and the Toyota Scion iQ – won accolades at the 2010 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan, which began Monday Jan. 11th and will be open to the public Saturday, Jan. 16th through Sunday, January 24th.

Some auto brands predicted, like academic researchers before them, that fuel efficiency would “drive” car sales in 2010 and beyond.

Just in time to curry favor with the auto lobby that turns out for the Detroit Auto Show each year, the U.S. Department of Energy this week also announced awards of $187 million in funding, from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act would go to American auto- and parts-makers to create not just jobs, but more efficient “super trucks” (military and commercial vehicles mostly) and passenger vehicles.

The D.O.E. also pledged – perhaps inspired by some of the greener efforts at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this month – to enforce “minimum appliance conservation standards,” established in the Energy Policy Conservation Act of 1975. In other words, if you make electricity-sucking, carbon-emitting refrigerators, air conditioners or other appliances that don’t meet U.S. standards, and if you don’t report what your gadgets use with accuracy, the feds will fine you! This time they mean it. It’s for the earth. And the U.S. government purse.

Innovative new vehicles and appliances and environmental law enforcement, of course, are just one piece of the energy puzzle.

All of the green news this week from the D.O.E. wasn’t enough to cover the hypocrisy of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency last week which allowed the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to issue a permit to Patriot Coal to proceed with some habitat thrashing, mountaintop coal mining projects in West Virgina.

To solve problems like ruinous coal mining, burning and oil consumption, on Thursday, Jan. 14th the United Nations Foundation gathered investors and world financial leaders to discuss climate change and the role of energy in the global economy.

UNF philanthropist and founding member Ted Turner stated on CNBC’s Squawk Box the first day of the foundation’s meeting: “[In the U.S.] we’re still subsidizing the coal and oil industry in various ways and should stop doing that… [We should] make sure with fees or cap and trade that the true cost of pollution from burning coal and oil is covered by the users. Then solar and wind power can become very competitive. The oil problem – that’s $750 billion a year we’re transferring over to countries that are not exactly our friends.”

Soak up a balance of optimistic and skeptical news and opinions about green vehicles and appliances, and the U.S. government’s environmental initiatives as they relate to the global, energy economy below. Then go forth, share links and comment.

Basic Reading:

“Eco cars are dominating this year’s Detroit Auto Show with a number of new concept hybrids being launched by both large and small automakers. The Ford Fusion Hybrid won the 2010 North American Car of the Year…” – news via EnvironmentalLeader.com

A preview of green cars at the Detroit Auto Show 2010 by John Voelcker for GreenCarReports.com

“Coal releases more carbon dioxide emissions per unit of energy produced than any other fossil fuel, but it also provides more than half the United States’ electricity supply. Mountaintop mining, a practice that has grown throughout the past 30 years, now supplies about 10 percent of U.S. coal.The EPA has a long history with trying to come to terms with the impacts of that destructive practice.” – A featured post at SolveClimate.com

“D.O.E. [is making a broad] effort to increase enforcement efforts for both Energy Star and the federal appliance standard program, which sets mandatory energy efficiency and water use requirements for a number of products, from air conditioners to urinals.” – News via the New York Times Green Inc. blog

The official home page for the Investor Summit on Climate Risk hosted by the United Nations

“The agenda includes speakers such as U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Former Vice-President Al Gore, U.S. Climate Envoy Todd Stern and Media Executive/Philanthropist Ted Turner. The list of investors expected at the Summit underscores how climate change, an environmental issue, is increasingly gaining traction as a business issue.” – A news item on the Investor Summit on Climate Risk via EfficiencyLaw.com

Further Resources:

News of hybrids, compacts at Detroit Auto Show from Chosun Ilbo, a Korean news organization

A muscle car enthusiast and critic worries that too much “hybrid” could amount to not enough speed, via the Motortrend.com blog

Detroit Auto Show Round-Up: The Fully Monty, is a web page of short reviews and critiques of cars at the NAIAS 2010, from a decidedly not eco-centric source, Jalopnik

A DailyYonder.com blog post asking “How Do You Kill a Mountain?” and criticising coal mining practices approved by the EPA

“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Tuesday that it would sign off on a Clean Water Act permit for a mountaintop removal coal mine operated by Patriot Coal Corp., drawing the ire of a coalition of environmental and community advocacy groups that says the decision opens the door for further environmental destruction in Appalachia…”- A news feature via Law 360

This is the latest installment of EcoMeme, a column featuring eco news, tech and business highlights by Lora Kolodny.

Nissan image via

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If I had it my way, we’d all travel around town on horseback. But as much as I like to dream of a time when grass was sufficient fuel, that’s hardly a feasible mode of transportation in an age of advanced technology and long daily commutes. Still, there are plenty of green (well, greener) options for the environmentally conscious. Ever since that sad day when General Motors crushed the last EV1, automobile companies have taken strides in the right direction to create vehicles that cause the planet less harm. So, if you’re due for a new ride, consider one of the most eco-friendly cars released this year.

Tesla Roadster

The electric car is back in ultimate style with the sporty Tesla Roadster. You can travel an impressive 220 miles before recharging this state-of-the-art vehicle. The only problem? It will set you back a whopping $100,000. So, until you win the lottery or stumble upon a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow, let’s move on to the more reasonable choices.

Aptera 2e

This futuristic electric vehicle is much more affordable than the Tesla Roadster, with a starting price of around $25,000. In addition to its electric motor that runs 100 miles per charge, the Aptera 2e boasts interior and exterior LED lighting and solar assisted climate control. Unfortunately, it’s currently only available to California residents through a somewhat lengthy reservation process.

Toyota Prius

At 51 miles per gallon in the city and 48 on the highway, the Toyota Prius is one of the most fuel efficient vehicles around. With an annual CO2 rating of 1,968 kilograms, this hybrid holds first place on MSN’s list of the Least Polluting Vehicles of 2009. It also offers eco-friendly features like a solar-powered ventilation system and LED headlamps and taillights.

Honda Civic Hybrid

Competing closely with the Toyota Prius when it comes to fuel efficiency, the Honda Civic Hybrid gets 40 miles per gallon in the city and 45 on the highway. It also has the second lowest annual CO2 rating of 2,160 kilograms.

Honda Insight Hybrid

With a base price of just over $20,000, the Honda Insight is the least expensive hybrid on the market today. This fuel-efficient vehicle gets 40 miles per gallon in the city and 43 on the highway.

Ford Fusion Hybrid

Of all mid-size sedans, the Ford Fusion Hybrid is the most fuel-efficient. It averages 41 miles per gallon in the city and 36 on the highway.

Smart Fortwo

The Smart Fortwo, more commonly known as the smart car, averages 33 miles per gallon in the city and 41 on the highway, making it the most fuel-efficient car powered solely by gasoline. Coming in third, it produces a yearly CO2 rating of 2,592 kilograms. Plus, this ultra-low emission vehicle’s white, black and red models are painted with a water-soluble solution. (Our editor is currently out of town picking up her very own Smart Car – she’ll be posting a review soon!)

Nissan Altima Hybrid

With the fifth lowest CO2 rating of 2,784 kilograms per year, the Nissan Altima Hybrid gets 35 miles per gallon in the city and 33 on the highway. In this super ultra low emissions vehicle, you can drive up to 600 miles before you need to stop for a refill.

Toyota Camry Hybrid

At 33 miles per gallon in the city and 34 on the highway, the Toyota Camry Hybrid is a fuel-efficient vehicle that features a notable yearly CO2 rating of 2,736 kilograms, making it the fourth least polluting vehicle of 2009.

Volkswagon Jetta TDI

Winner of the 2009 Green Car of the Year award, the Volkswagon Jetta TDI is powered by ultra-low sulfur diesel. At 30 miles per gallon in the city and 41 on the highway, this vehicle utilizes clean diesel technology and produces 3,240 kilograms of CO2 annually, placing thirteenth on MSN’s list.

Ford Escape Hybrid

At 34 miles per gallon in the city and 31 on the highway, the Ford Escape Hybrid has the corner on fuel-efficient sports utility vehicles. Coming in at sixth place, it is the only one to rank on MSN’s lowest annual CO2 ratings at 2,928 kilograms.

Toyota Yaris

With the seventh lowest rating, the Toyota Yaris generates approximately 3,072 kilograms of CO2 per year. It also features a fuel-efficiency of 28 miles per gallon in the city and 34 on the highway.

Image: Ed Yourdon

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