Chrysler Group Joins U.S. Climate Action Partnership
27 Juin 2007 - 5:41PM
PR Newswire (US)
Company Endorses Mandatory Cap on Greenhouse Gas Emissions
WASHINGTON, June 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Chrysler Group
announced today its membership with the United States Climate
Action Partnership (USCAP), endorsing and participating in the
non-partisan group's call for economy-wide mandatory reductions of
greenhouse gas emissions. USCAP, a partnership of companies and
non-government organizations, issued earlier this year a blueprint
of principles and recommendations for establishing a multi-sector,
market-driven program to swiftly slow, stop and reverse the growth
of greenhouse gas emissions. The group has recommended that
Congress establish short- and mid-term emission reduction targets;
a national program to accelerate technology research, development
and deployment; and approaches to encourage action by other
countries, including the developing world. "Now is the time for
advancing a national approach to climate change where all of us -
individuals, industry and government - take action toward reducing
emissions of greenhouse gases," said Tom LaSorda, President and
CEO, Chrysler Group. "We are proud to be an active member with
USCAP in the development of climate policy that addresses energy
use and emissions from all sectors of the U.S. economy, and
ultimately drives increased energy efficiency. "We look forward to
working with the USCAP members in formulating a system to control
greenhouse gas emissions in a way that not just addresses the
supply of energy-efficient products and commodities, but also spurs
demand for them." Consistent with USCAP's principles, Chrysler
Group believes that mandatory reductions of heat-trapping emissions
can be imposed without economic harm and lead to economic
opportunities if done across the economy and with provisions to
mitigate costs. Furthermore, the company advocates an approach that
leverages the competitive marketplace as the best solution to this
challenge. LaSorda testified before Congress in March that "if we
intend to make meaningful progress in reducing petroleum
consumption in this country, in addition to vehicle technology
improvements, we look to the Federal Government to establish
policies that address consumer demand and bend the bias of
transportation fuels toward lower carbon alternatives." Chrysler
Group Fuel-efficiency Initiatives Chrysler Group's advanced
propulsion technology umbrella offers a diverse portfolio of
fuel-saving technologies - including efficient gasoline engines,
hybrids, clean diesels, flexible fuel vehicles (FFV) and biodiesel
compatibility - that reduce petroleum consumption and decrease
greenhouse gas emissions. As part of a $3 billion investment
announced in February to produce more fuel-efficient engines,
transmissions and axles, last week the company further detailed its
plans to boost fuel economy across its entire vehicle lineup.
Chrysler Group fuel-saving initiatives include developing
mild-hybrid technology and expanding the company's two-mode hybrid
and BLUETEC clean- diesel programs. The company will also introduce
new fuel-efficient six- and eight-cylinder gasoline engines with
Multi-displacement System (MDS) technology and dual-clutch
transmission technology. In addition to the company's efforts to
displace petroleum through advanced technologies, Chrysler group
has produced more than 1.5 million FFVs - passenger cars and trucks
capable of running on E85 or biodiesel. The company will produce an
additional 250,000 FFVs in 2007 and approximately 500,000 in 2008.
Chrysler Group stands ready to make half of its annual vehicle
production FFVs by 2012. As the leader in the development of clean
diesel technologies, all Chrysler Group diesel vehicles are
approved for use with biodiesel - a clean renewable diesel fuel
made from vegetable oils. The company is working with industry
partners on a national standard for B20 (20 percent biodiesel) that
can be used in all diesel engines. Environmental Commitment
Chrysler Group's environmental commitment pledges to protect the
health of local communities, the country's natural resources and
the global environment overall by continuously improving the
environmental performance of its products and operations. In order
to reduce CO2 emissions at manufacturing facilities, the Chrysler
Group strives to use energy as efficiently as possible and utilize
low-carbon energy sources wherever possible. The company's
manufacturing facilities reduced absolute CO2 emissions by 17.2
percent from 2002 to 2006. Greenhouse gas emissions per vehicle
produced decreased by 4.9 percent during that time period. Chrysler
Group's North American facilities reduced annual energy usage by
more than 18.3 percent from 2002 levels, and in 2006, consumed 14.5
percent less energy per vehicle produced than in 2002. Chrysler
Group The Chrysler Group, headquartered in Auburn Hills, Mich.,
employs approximately 80,375 people around the world and produces
Chrysler, Jeep(R), Dodge and Mopar(R) brand vehicles and products.
Total sales worldwide in 2006 were 2.7 million vehicles, with $62
billion in revenue. Sales outside of North America were the highest
in a decade with an increase of 15 percent over 2005. On the heels
of the company's record product launch year (Chrysler Group
launched 10 all-new vehicles in 2006), the company plans to extend
that streak with eight all-new products in 2007. Its product lineup
features some of the world's most recognizable vehicles, including
the Chrysler 300, Jeep Wrangler and Dodge Charger. Chrysler Group's
advanced propulsion technology includes efficient gasoline engines,
hybrids, clean diesels, flex-fuel vehicles and biodiesel
capability. The DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund, the Company's
philanthropic arm, gave $23.6 million in grants in 2006.
DATASOURCE: Chrysler Group CONTACT: Colin McBean, +1-202-414-6713,
cell, +1-248-202-8047, , or Shawn Morgan, +1-248-512-2692, cell,
+1-248-760-2621, , both of Chrysler Group Web site:
http://www.daimlerchrysler.com/
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