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Inaugural Earth, Wind & Power
Truck of the Year Winner Announced
By Samantha Gasco
Trucks and SUVs have never had the best reputation for being environmentally-friendly; however, with global warming top of mind and gas prices heavier than the wallet can handle, more trucks powered by alternative sources are hitting the market. From hot hybrids to the cleanest of diesels, the ICOTY jury sought out to honor the most environmentally-friendly truck of the year with the inaugural Earth, Wind & Power (EWP) Truck of the Year Award. Although these innovative diesel technologies are applauded, it’s the SUV hybrid pioneer the Ford Escape Hybrid that took home top honors for the 2009 model year.
2009 Ford Escape Hybrid
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2009 Ford Escape Hybrid |
Living up to all the hybrid hype the 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid has taken top honors as the winner of the inaugural Earth, Wind & Power Truck of the Year Award. This SUV hybrid pioneer drives into the 2009 model year better than ever. Delivering excellent fuel economy as well as responsive performance, the Escape Hybrid will get customers an estimated 31-mpg highway and 34-mpg city. If that isn't enough to make this SUV sound appealing, as a full hybrid it can provide truly guilt-free operations by running solely on electric power in low load conditions.
Truly designed to delight the Escape Hybrid’s sensible style is sure to impress its Earth conscious drivers. In the XLT model, Ford has taken it to the next level with eco-friendly seats. Green, durable and stylish these seats are made from bio-based polyurethane foam derived from various plant seed oils and earth-friendly, post-industrial materials. The Escape Hybrid also comes with standard stability and cruise control across all models as well as offering all of Ford’s high-tech gadgets as customer options. Besides reducing emissions and increasing mileage, this hybrid provides all the features SUV buyers are looking for. A Ford that truly escapes the bad reputations SUVs have come to have, it’s no wonder the 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid was voted the Most Environmentally-Friendly Truck of the Year.
Earth, Wind & Power Truck of the Year Top Nominees
2009 BMW X5 xDrive35d
Alternative power is accelerated to the limit with the new BMW X5 xDrive35d, landing it as a top nominee for the 2009 EWP Truck of the Year. Equipped with the power you could expect from a BMW and the fuel efficiency of a diesel the X5 xDrive35d gets an estimated 26-mpg highway, meaning a single trip can last up to 585 miles before refueling. The X5 xDrive 35d comes with XDrive, intelligent all-wheel-drive system making the drive as smooth and safe as it is sustainable; this is one SUV dismissing emissions for its own earth conscience enlightenment.
2009 Mercedes-Benz ML320 BlueTEC
The Mercedes-Benz ML320 BlueTEC may be blue by name but it is certainly one tough green machine, which is why this SUV was chosen as one of the top three nominees for EWP Truck of the Year. Achieving an estimated 18-mpg city and 24-mpg highway, this ML320 is equipped with Mercedes-Benz’s state-of-the-art BlueTEC clean diesel technology. This breakthrough diesel technology can take the SUV over 600 miles on a single tank and drastically reduces smog-causing chemicals, making the ML320 BlueTEC a breath of fresh air. Customers are sure to experience the luxury of a Mercedes-Benz in the most earth conscious way.
Click here to view the International Car of the Year Award Winners
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