08/18/2008   GAAS:615:08   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Gov. Schwarzenegger Joins Automobile Alliance to Launch EcoDriving Program to Save Consumers Money at Gas Pump

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today joined Colorado Governor Bill Ritter and the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers via satellite to launch the EcoDriving program-a comprehensive, nationwide effort to save consumers money at the gas pump, reduce fuel use and cut carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. 

"We are here today to side with the people and to help them save at the pump immediately," Governor Schwarzenegger said. "This program is no substitute for a consistent, long-term national energy policy, but it provides immediate and tangible relief from high gas prices. Just by following some simple recommendations, drivers can get 15 percent better gas mileage, save money at the pump and reduce demand for foreign oil. During the transition to more renewable and secure energy sources, we'll all benefit and save money from the most efficient use of gasoline."

The Alliance's EcoDriving consumer awareness campaign centers on an interactive website, www.EcoDrivingUSA.com, to help drivers learn practical tips to improving their mileage and reducing their carbon footprint. The site includes a video guide to EcoDriving, an "EcoCalculator" to determine benefits for individuals or states, a virtual road test and a variety of educational tools.

By following a set of easy-to-use best practices for driving and vehicle maintenance, a typical EcoDriver can improve mileage by about 15 percent. In addition, EcoDriving produces the highest mileage from every single vehicle, regardless of vehicle size and age, so it offers an unmatched reach in addressing energy and climate issues by potentially affecting the nation's entire fleet of 240 million automobiles.

California alone has 32.5 million automobiles on its roads. If all Californians practiced EcoDriving, they could save money while cutting CO2 emissions by 23 million tons a year. That is equal to the CO2 emissions from powering 2.2 million houses, or all the households in Los Angeles.

Sample EcoDriving practices include:

• Not tailgating, knowing the proper way to accelerate and brake, using synchronized traffic lights to a driver's advantage, driving at the optimum highway speed, understanding when to use air conditioning and much more.

Sample maintenance practices include:

• Knowing which motor oil to use, understanding the importance of proper tire pressure and what affects tire pressure, understanding aerodynamics and much more.

In January 2007, the Governor announced the world's first Low Carbon Fuel Standard for transportation fuels that requires fuel providers to reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels sold in California. This first-of-its-kind standard firmly establishes sustainable demand for lower-carbon fuels without favoring one fuel over another. The already-developing market competition to meet this new standard is key to reducing oil dependency, boosting alternative fuels and giving consumers a weapon against escalating gas prices. To start, the standard will reduce the carbon intensity of California's passenger vehicle fuels by at least 10 percent by 2020 and more thereafter.