EARTH ANGEL APPLICANT SUBMISSION – Honda

Honda has 15 FCX hydrogen-powered fuel cell cars on the road, including the only two fuel cell cars in the hands of individual customers. The FCX has over 50% efficiency on the EPA city driving cycle and is nearly three times that of a conventional gasoline-powered car and almost twice the efficiency of a gas-electric hybrid

Honda introduced the next-generation Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) technology in the 2008 Accord Sedan and Coupe and Odyssey minivan in CY 2007 further boosting fuel economy of these models.

Honda is the only company to offer a dedicated compressed natural gas-powered passenger car, Civic GX. To advance alternative fuel vehicles with lower green house gas (GHG) emissions, Honda has expanded the availability of the Civic GX and the Phill home refueling appliance to markets in California and New York State.

Through its “Green Factory” initiative, Honda is working to reduce the environmental impact of its manufacturing activities, including ongoing efforts to reduce energy use, water use, generation of waste materials, and CO2 and air emissions. Through its “Green Purchasing” program, the company is also encouraging its more than 600 North American original-equipment suppliers to adopt similar practices.

Honda’s research on the experimental Home Energy Station (HES), with its partner Plug Power, Inc., is in its third generation. Using natural gas as its energy source, this station aims to provide a home-based refueling that produces sufficient hydrogen to power a fuel cell vehicle while providing heat and electricity for an average home.

Honda and Climate Energy are jointly developing an innovative new residential home heating system, Freewatt — an appliance that creates electricity from the energy already used to heat homes. The ultra-quiet unit allows homeowners to reduce their utility bills and curb carbon dioxide emissions.

2. Name 3 or more environmental initiatives your company will support in 2008.  

Honda will continue to improve the already industry-leading fuel efficiency of its gasoline powered vehicles, including a more advanced version of Honda’s i-VTEC™ variable valve timing technology introduced by 2010.

Honda is accelerating the development of fuel-cell vehicle technology, and will introduce in 2008 a totally new fuel cell vehicle based on the FCX Concept low riding, sedan.

In designing the FCX Concept, Honda engineers looked beyond the fuel cell powertrain to other vehicle components, including the interior. As a result, the company created Honda bio-fabric made from plant-derived cellulose, a highly durable and fade resistant alternative to conventional polyethylene terephthalate (PET) material.

Honda will introduce in 2009 a new, more affordable hybrid family car priced below the Civic Hybrid. Honda is projecting annual sales of 100,000 units in the United States and Canada combined.

Honda will introduce in 2009 a new high-efficiency, 4-cylinder clean diesel engine that achieves U.S. EPA Tier 2 Bin 5 emissions levels. This engine uses a unique NOx reduction catalyst that turns NOx into harmless nitrogen (N2) — all without the need for onboard urea storage.

Honda will advance the efficiency and emissions performance of power sports and power equipment products, including application of programmed fuel injection (PGM-FI) technology to most of Honda’s worldwide motorcycle fleet by 2010.

3. Name any awards your company has received for environmental progress in the past year.

Honda retained the title of “Greenest Automaker” from the Union of Concerned Scientists for the fourth consecutive time.

Four Honda models made the Top 12 list of “Greenest Vehicles” for 2007 as awarded by The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, including the natural gas-powered Civic GX, which earned the top score.

Every Honda and Acura vehicle sold in the United States meets or exceeds the U.S. EPA’s stringent Tier 2 Bin 5 emissions standard, and each model is certified in all 50 U.S. states.

Honda’s three existing U.S. automobile assembly plants — in Marysville and East Liberty, Ohio, and in Lincoln, Alabama — were awarded the 2006 Energy Star Label by the U.S. EPA and the Department of Energy. Because of their performance in the EPA’s National Energy Performance Rating System, the plants were recognized as being among the most energy-efficient in America.

Honda now has two facilities in North American with LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council

4. Name all vehicles that your company currently has in production that are hybrid, diesel, solar powered, flex-fuel, natural gas, ethanol, or any other alternative fuels.

Honda has diversified its powertrain technology to include high-efficiency gasoline, clean diesel (Europe, soon to be US), gas-electric hybrid, flex-fuel ( South America) and compressed natural gas (Civic GX) — as well as hydrogen-powered fuel cells (FCX).

5. Name all environmental organizations your company supports.  

Honda supports the following:

-The Nature Conservancy through its volunteer watershed protection programs

- Living Lands & Waters Foundation, a group of volunteers cleans the Mississippi and Illinois River

-The River Project operates a private monitoring station at Pier 26 of New York’s Hudson River

-Tampa Baywatch is dedicated to the protection and restoration of the Tampa Bay Estuary

-The Chesapeake Bay Foundation works to reduce pollution, improve fisheries, and protect wetlands & forests

-The Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper uses advocacy, education and research to protect\preserve the river

-With assistance from Honda, San Francisco Baykeepers launched the first boat to run on clean-burning CNG

-Ducks Unlimited conserves, restores and manages wetlands and associated wildlife habitats

-South River Federation works to preserve the South River in Maryland

-Student Conservation Association for desert restoration and forest fire mitigation projects in NC, FL and MI

- Ridley Sea Turtle Recovery works to preserve endangered sea turtles in south Texas

- Aquatic Adventures Science Education Foundation in San Diego provides educational programs

- The Chicago Botanic Garden Center for Teaching and Learning uses its 23 gardens for teaching

-National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council and Tread Lightly, which seek to educate riders about designated trail use and responsible riding.

6. In 100 words or less, what is your company position and mission on global warming?

Honda recognizes global climate change and energy sustainability as serious environmental challenges. As the world’s largest producer of gasoline-powered products, Honda is making a concerted effort to improve the efficiency of its products and production operations. In May 2006, Honda became the world’s only automaker to set voluntary global targets for further reductions in CO2 emissions from its automobile, power sports and power equipment products and production activities. On a global basis, Honda is targeting a total 10 percent reduction in average CO2 emissions from its automobile, power equipment and power sports products from FY2001 levels by FY2011; along with a 10 percent reduction in average CO2 emissions per unit of automobile production; and a 20 percent reduction in per-unit CO2 emissions from production of power equipment and power sports products. Significant progress already has been made in reducing global average product and production CO2 emissions from FY2001 levels:

• 6 percent reduction in average CO2 emissions from automobiles

• 9.5 percent reduction in average per-unit CO2 emissions from the manufacture of automobiles

• 6.9 percent reduction in average CO2 emissions from power equipment products

• 23.2 percent reduction in average per-unit CO2 emissions from the manufacture of power sports products