Interested in going "green,"or just learning more about "green" transportation? AutoTrader Publishing and Dealer.com have both launched innovative new publications that will provide consumers with all the tools they need to learn, browse, compare and buy a fuel efficient vehicle.
AutoTrader Publishing, an automotive classified magazine company, recently launched a new publication dedicated to vehicles that get 30 miles per gallon or more. AutoTrader Green will be the first publication focusing exclusively on fuel-efficient vehicles. The new magazine will also include editorial content such as informational articles about different types of fuel-efficient cars and trucks, including Alternative-Fuel Automobiles (AFAs) such as hybrids.
"The new AutoTrader Green magazine provides consumers in the community with the only local mechanism to view hundreds of fuel-efficient vehicles at once,"says AutoTrader Publishing President Richard Jamin. "It's a win for dealers because our product immediately increases public awareness of their fuel-efficient inventory, which means more traffic on their lots. Most importantly, it's a win for the environment, and we're proud to be able to satisfy the growing demand for information about these vehicles and access to them."
The recent spike in gasoline prices and an increasing concern for the environment has dramatically accelerated consumer interest in fuel-efficient vehicles. Fuel-efficient models that get 30-plus mpg are on the market now more than ever before. Hybrid sales are up 30 percent from last year, while overall new-car sales are down 8 percent. And the estimated 28 million new drivers who will enter the market in the next five years are more concerned about the environment than any generation before them.
Demand for fuel-efficient vehicles such as hybrids is greater in the United States than anywhere else in the world. In the first three months of 2007, more than 434,000 AFAs were sold nationwide. By the year 2011, 854,000 hybrids are expected to be zipping along U.S. roads. And according to data from Manheim, the world's largest provider of auto remarketing services, resale of hybrids continues to enjoy strong and steady growth
"The new AutoTrader Green magazine fits perfectly in our portfolio of niche products to consumers, such as Truck Trader, Collector Car Trader, Corvette Trader and many more," Jamin adds. "It also fits into our strategy of connecting consumers with dealers in innovative ways that allow us to remain the leader in the field."
Earthcars.com, which launched last month, provides consumers with everything they need to know when buying a green vehicle. Research shows that 70 percent of new car buyers conduct online research long before ever stepping foot on a dealer's lot. Earthcars.com provides those shoppers with a single destination geared toward education by presenting the latest research, rankings of environmentally friendly cars and even the ability to view and compare "green" inventory from local car dealers in their area.
The site also incorporates a four-globe ratings system, separated by half-globe steps that rank each brand of vehicle. The ratings are measured by fuel economy, pollution emissions, alternative energy and green factor of the manufacturer. Additionally, to be considered an "earthcar,"
all vehicles must meet a prerequisite of 35mpg highway (32mpg combined) or include an advanced alternative energy technology. Consumers can use this ratings system to make better purchasing decisions when buying an earth friendly car.
In addition to educating the consumer, Earthcars.com provides a valuable service to auto dealers and manufactures by presenting those customers in the market for a new green vehicle with not just information, but also local green inventory and the ability to negotiate online. Inventory will be filtered by criteria which will ensure customers are viewing inventory of local auto dealers and that the vehicles sought out are better choices for the environment. By incorporating inventory through Earthcars.com, auto dealers will close the sales loop faster, reach local customers who are shopping for earth friendly vehicles and ultimately sell many more earth friendly cars making it a more viable and profitable business model for the future.
"People want to buy environmentally friendly vehicles, but they also want to be educated in that process. By presenting both the background research and the inventory customers feel more confident in their purchase and ultimately we are able to sell more cars," says Jodi Onoffrey, marketing director, Koons Tysons Toyota in Vienna, Virginia. "Since making our inventory available online, our dealership has seen a substantial increase in sales. Earthcars.com will only further that number."
Earthcars.com was developed and launched by Dealer.com, a leading provider of online marketing solution for the automotive industry. The site is part of Dealer.com's socially responsible mission to help bring environmentally sound vehicles to market while simultaneously assisting auto dealers in sales efforts.
"Our vision with Earthcars.com is to assist the public in learning about environmentally positive changes that will occur as more people begin to drive earth friendly vehicles," says Mark Bonfigli, chairman, CEO and president of Dealer.com. "The site provides consumers with great research tools that allow them to become educated on the different kinds of green transportation and a rating system that evaluates each brand of vehicle and ranks them by earth friendliness. Earthcars.com will help consumers from the initial stages of research through the final stages of locating and negotiating the purchase of an earth friendly vehicle through a local dealer."
To learn more about the latest developments in earth friendly transportation, visit the Earthcar Web site and enter your zip code to search and compare local earth friendly vehicles in your area.
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