General Motor’s Chevrolet Tahoe has achieved one of the highest honors in the automotive industry today when it comes to environmentally friendly cars. It has been named as the Green Car Journal’s 2008 Green Car of the Year(R). The award was given at a press conference at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Ron Cogan, Green Car Journal editor and publisher says, “This is a milestone in many respects. People don’t think ‘green’ when SUVs are concerned, and for generally good reason since SUVs often get poor fuel economy compared to most other vehicles. Chevrolet’s Tahoe Hybrid changes this dynamic with a fuel efficiency improvement of up to 30 percent compared to similar vehicles equipped with a standard V-8.”

EPA’s 2008 estimated fuel economy ratings showed that Chevrolet has excelled far better when it comes to city driving. In city driving,, the 6.0-liter two-mode hybrid Tahoe is able to achieve 50 percent improvement in fuel economy compared to a Tahoe powered by a standard 5.3-liter V-8. Moreover, the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid has the same mpg city fuel efficiency rating as the city EPA rating for the four-cylinder Toyota Camry sedan.

Ed Peper, Chevrolet general manager says, “We’re thrilled to receive this recognition from Green Car Journal for our Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid. We’ve felt that the Tahoe Hybrid represents the best of both worlds — the great utility you’d expect from a Tahoe with fuel economy on par with today’s mid-size cars. It’s satisfying to receive this validation from such an authority on environmentally-friendly vehicles.”

Carl Pope, executive director of the Sierra Clubs said that GM promised they would use hybrid technology, and use it where it would make the most difference on their biggest vehicles. Pope said that GM has delivered with the Chevy Tahoe.

The Tahoe Hybrid is the industry’s first application of hybrid technology in a full-size SUV since most of the hybrid V6 and 8 engines are only offered in mid-size or smaller vehicles. Developing the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid with a smaller engine posed a different challenge since it was difficult to achieve an increase in fuel economy with such a large vehicle that has also other heavy duty purposes like towing and hauling.

Cogan also says, “The importance of GM’s accomplishment can’t be overstated. For years, consumers have been buying SUVs in increasing numbers because of their functionality, making them the number one class of vehicle on the market. The problem has been obvious: With larger vehicles generally comes poorer fuel economy because of greater size and curb weight. An ‘equalizer’ has been needed … and the two-mode hybrid system in the Tahoe is clearly that equalizer.”

The Chevrolet Tahoe emerged as the winner after garnering the majority of the votes of a high profile jury composed of environmental and industry leaders and four Green Car Journal editors. The jurors were Carroll Shelby, Jay Leno, Carl Pope (Sierra Club), Christopher Flavin (Worldwatch Institute), Jonathan Lash (World Resources Institute), and Jean-Michel Cousteau (Ocean Futures Society).

The other final nominees included the Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid, Mazda Tribute Hybrid, Nissan Altima Hybrid, and the Saturn Aura Hybrid. Among the requirement for the finalists to make it to the cut include being on sale and widely available to the public by Jan. 1, 2008, newness, production volume and the likelihood a vehicle’s environmentally-focused technologies to  further be implemented in other vehicles in the near future.