With the rising price of gas, the auto industry has more pressure on it to become as green and efficient as possible. In Sunnyvale, used cars are looking more and more eco-friendly, with brands like Prius leading the pack of fuel-efficient used vehicles. But it isn't enough. The industry has begun to roll out the first phases of the electric revolution, and the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf are the pioneers. But has the industry taken the time to really look at how electric driving will affect consumers worldwide? The issue that lies at the base of the problem is the fact that electric power is usually fueled by coal, and the use of coal causes more toxins to be released into the air. And that only shows one aspect of the electric driving debacle. For instance, the price of electricity might not be much lower than gas depending on how electric recharging stations structure their usage. In some states, it may cost even more to drive an electric car than a fuel-efficient gas engine. These facts all contribute to the most recent development in green driving, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy's list of the greenest cars on the market, and Santa Clara used Honda dealers are pleased with the results.

The Chevy Volt didn't make it into the top 10 greenest cars, according to the results of the study. Fortunately for Honda, the Honda Civic GX was at the top of the list, giving Sunnyvale used cars a nice boost under the Honda brand. According to a recent article in Inside Line, "In a surprising twist, the Chevrolet Volt, which was named the 2011 North American Car of the Year in January, did not even crack the top 10 greenest cars on the list. It came in at number 12 among the greenest vehicles of 2011. Other vehicles that outpaced the Volt on the list include the Nissan Leaf, Smart Fortwo, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid, Honda Insight, Ford Fiesta SFE, Chevrolet Cruze Eco, Hyundai Elantra, Mini Cooper and Toyota Yaris." That's double goodness for the Honda Civic model, which has always been considered one of the most reliable and cost-effective cars on the road. Santa Clara used Honda dealers have been selling out Civic models for years, and 2011 holds more great things for the legendary Honda model. What exactly do these findings mean for the electric car? Well, hopefully not much considering the fact that we've only scratched the surface of electric driving.

Sunnyvale used cars are becoming more powerful and less harmful to the environment as a result of the recession, lowered consumer interest in driving and raising gas prices. The auto industry is doing a great job of reestablishing itself in the wake of the recession, and it's partially due to Santa Clara used Honda drivers and their passion to promote cleaner, healthier and more cost-effective driving. If you're interested in what's going on in the Honda camp, head down to your local dealer today.