SAN FRANCISCO, May 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AutoWest Auto Group an AutoNation Company, the Bay Area's and Sacramento's leading retailer of new and used vehicles, has announced the launch of the company's E-Vehicle program. The program is the first of its kind among automotive retailers, an effort that's designed to promote greater consumer awareness of fuel-efficient vehicles by identifying those cars and trucks available online and in-store that have exceptional energy efficiency.
To qualify, vehicles must produce at least 28 miles-per-gallon or deliver 10% better fuel efficiency than the average for their vehicle class. The initiative is driven in part by AutoWest Auto Group's parent company, AutoNation , America's largest automotive retailer, and Edmunds.com, the online arm of one of the most well-respected names in industry research and insight. The partnership ensures that all qualifying vehicles are identified and that the fullest range of energy-smart choices is presented to the public.
"We wanted to take the initiative when it comes to increasing the consumer's awareness of just how many fuel efficient vehicles are actually available," said Mike Jackson, chairman and CEO of AutoNation. "Gas prices are so high and concerns over foreign oil are so acute that customers don't just want this information - they need it. Our E-Vehicle program lets them know which vehicles they can count on not only for greater savings, but also for a cleaner conscience and a cleaner environment."
Under the program, every car and truck for sale at an AutoWest dealership or listed on AutoWest.com that meets the E-Vehicle standards will be marked with a green, leaf-shaped E-Vehicle logo. There will also be an accompanying checklist displaying the particular efficiency criteria that it satisfies.
"In today's time-pressed world, car-shoppers will appreciate that AutoNation is making it easy to see which vehicles achieve the best fuel economy," commented Edmunds.com president Jeremy Anwyl. "This program is likely to generate a great deal of interest, especially as gas prices continue their seasonal climb."
In addition to these green-labeled E-Vehicles, AutoWest Auto Group will also be identifying what it calls "F-Vehicles" with a yellow leaf logo. These are cars and trucks that make use of flex fuel or ethanol-based technology. Both AutoWest and AutoNation agree that promoting the greater consumption of renewable and alternative energy sources will motivate energy companies to more aggressively pursue the production and distribution of non-fossil-based fuels, a critical component of a more responsible energy policy.
This is not AutoNation's first effort to promote more responsible energy consumption. In August of 2006, AutoNation became the first automotive retailer to join with Plug-In-Hybrids Partners to promote fuel efficiency and advance technologies.
AutoWest Auto Group offers E-Vehicles in all classes and across all price ranges. Among the most in-demand models are the Toyota Prius, the Honda Civic Hybrid, the midsize Chevy Malibu and the Mercedes-Benz Diesel. Best in class E-Vehicles include the Toyota Tacoma pick-up, the Ford Escape Hybrid SUV and the Dodge Grand Caravan minivan. For a complete listing of E-Vehicles available, customers are encouraged to visit AutoWest.com, which currently displays over 80,000 vehicles online in an effort to appeal to the 70% of customers who use the Internet as part of the purchase process.
AutoNation was recently named by FORTUNE magazine as America's most admired automotive retailer in a poll of industry insiders, executives and analysts -- the fifth time in six years that the company has been so honored. AutoNation is also ranked #115 on FORTUNE magazine's list of America's 500 largest corporations and is the only retailer to hold a position in the S&P 500 index. More information is available online at http://www.autonation.com/.
ABOUT AUTONATION, INC.
AutoNation, Inc., headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is America's largest automotive retailer and a component of the Standard and Poor's 500 Index. AutoNation has approximately 26,000 full-time employees and owns and operates 327 new vehicle franchises in 16 states. For additional information, please visit http://corp.autonation.com/ or http://www.autonation.com/, where more than 80,000 vehicles are available for sale.
