California to Purchase 50 More Natural Gas Powered Honda Civic GX Clean Fuel Vehicles
23 October 1998
California to Purchase 50 More Natural Gas Powered Honda Civic GX Clean Fuel Vehicles State Expands Fleet After Initial Experience With Civic GX
TORRANCE, Calif., Oct. 23 -- The State of California has
agreed to purchase 50 additional natural gas powered Honda Civic GX vehicles
to add to its initial fleet of five.
"California has been a leader in integrating alternative fuel vehicles
into its fleet to comply with Federal mandates," said Steve Ellis, sales and
marketing manager for alternative fuel vehicles at American Honda. "As a
dedicated natural gas vehicle, the Honda Civic GX not only meets these
mandates, it goes further by delivering environmental benefits at all times,
unlike flex-fuel vehicles, which are often run on regular gasoline."
Built at the Honda of America Manufacturing, Inc. East Liberty Automobile
Plant in Ohio, the Civic GX was recently certified by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) as the cleanest internal combustion vehicle ever
tested. Introduced earlier this year, it produces emissions at approximately
one-tenth of California's stringent Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV)
standards, and boasts a 20 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions
compared to an equivalent gasoline vehicle.
The 1.6 liter 4-cylinder Civic GX engine design is so revolutionary it has
earned Honda 13 patents in the United States and 39 in Japan. With the cost
of natural gas considerably lower than gasoline, and because clean fuel
reduces engine wear and tear, Honda's Civic GX customers also enjoy
considerable maintenance cost savings.
"The Civic GX delivers both environmental and economic benefits without
compromising performance, reliability or styling," Ellis added.
The Civic GX has a real world driving range of about 200 miles, and comes
fully equipped with dual airbags, AM/FM stereo, power windows and door locks,
air conditioning and many other standard features.
