DETROIT, June 12 (UPI) -- The Sierra Club, one of America's leading environmental organizations, says it's time for automakers to give consumers what they want -- cleaner and more fuel-efficient vehicles.
The San Francisco-based group Wednesday launched a three-year campaign to pressure the "Big Three" to improve the mileage of their cars, trucks and SUVs and pickups.
"The American people want the choice to drive cars, trucks, and SUVs that go farther on a gallon of gas," club executive director Carl Pope told a news conference. "It's time Detroit gave them what they want. The technology exists today to allow the automakers to continue offering their most popular models, but with significantly improved fuel economy."
The Sierra Club's campaign urges consumers to demand that auto companies offer vehicles that get up to 40 miles per gallon. It wants customers to ask dealers for a fuel-saving "Freedom Option Package," that could be available on most standard models.
"Detroit wants to sell option packages featuring seat warmers and cup holders," said Dan Becker, director of the 700,000-member Sierra Club's Clean Energy Program. "What America needs is an option package that frees us from dependence on foreign oil, saves money at the pump, and cuts pollution."
Television and radio ads for the fuel economy campaign will feature former Nebraska Sen. Bob Kerrey and retired Navy Vice Admiral Jack Shanahan.
Most automakers are already investing heavily in research on alternative-fueled and hybrid vehicles and Ford Motor Co. Chairman Bill Ford Jr. has committed his company to a goal of improving the fuel economy of its sport-utility vehicle fleet 25 percent by 2005.
Environmentalists decided to go directly to the public after the auto companies successfully lobbied Congress not to raise federal Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards that require cars to average 27.5 mpg and trucks 20.5 mpg.
"This campaign was created to correct the false impressions left by the automakers and to tell consumers that they can and should have the option of buying a safe, fuel-efficient car, SUV, or pickup truck," Pope said.
In other auto news:
Ford announced a prototype of a zero-emission Focus that combines state-of-the-art hybrid electric-battery technology with an advanced new hydrogen fuel cell. The four-passenger small car would gave a range of 160 miles to 200 miles at a top speed of 80 miles per hour. A low-production version of the Ford Focus Fuel Cell Vehicle could reach showrooms in 2004.
DaimlerChrysler introduced a snazzy chrome accented version of its Chrysler PT Cruiser for 2003. The $1,270 chrome cruiser package will have a monotone grill, jewel-like head and tail lamps, full chrome-plated bodyside moldings, chrome 16-inch wheels, sparking chrome wings on the Chrysler logo and a silver gear shift knob. A PT Cruiser convertible goes on sale in 2004.
