During Los Angeles Motor Show, scheduled to start this November, a well known jury will award the 2015 Green Car of the Year (GCOY) title.
The jury includes celebrity auto enthusiast Jay Leno, plus leaders of noted environmental and efficiency organizations including Jean-Michel Cousteau, president of Ocean Futures Society; Matt Petersen, board member of Global Green USA; Dr. Alan Lloyd, President Emeritus of the International Council on Clean Transportation; Mindy Lubber, President of CERES; and Kateri Callahan, President of the Alliance to Save Energy.
All these members select five finalists for their achievements in raising the bar in environmental performance. Availability to the mass market is a factor to ensure honored models have the potential to make a real difference in environmental impact, and finalists must be available for sale by January 1st of the award year.
Targeting the prize, first introduced in 2005, are five cars left in the final (in no order) :
- Volkswagen Golf TDI – clean diesel engine
- Audi A3 TDI – highly efficient diesel engine
- Chevrolet Impala Bi-Fuel – compressed natural gas
- Honda Fit – 40+ miles per gallon engine
- BMW i3 – plug-in vehicle
