Federal Minister of Natural Resources, the Honorable Joe Oliver has highlighted environmental initiatives in the automotive sector, including green innovations and the impacts that driving behavior has on fuel efficiency.

Announced during the launch of the Automotive Journalists Association of Canada’s (AJAC) 2013 Eco-Run, Minister Oliver underlined how this year’s vehicles are showcasing how innovation is changing Canada’s automotive industry. These innovative steps are helping Canadians to lower their annual fuel costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, helping to protect the environment.

The Minister reiterated that through regulations introduced by the Conservative Government, passenger vehicles and light trucks will emit approximately half as many greenhouse gas emissions as 2008 models, by the year 2025. Additionally, these vehicles will consume up to 50 percent less fuel, thus leading to substantial savings when it comes to fuel costs.

Through the Eco-Run initiative, 21 new model year vehicles are showcased in a convoy-style demonstration, starting in Ottawa and concluding in Montreal. AJAC automotive journalists drive and evaluate the vehicles, highlighting how fuel-efficient driving habits can help to attain better fuel consumption.

A wide variety of fuel-efficient technologies and choices are showcased within the vehicles, including gasoline, diesel, hybrid, hybrid plug-in, and battery-electric drive trains.