“Making Green Cool Zone” Debuts at 2008 SEMA Show

The cool factor for environmentally conscious products is expected to get a big boost at this year’s Specialty Equipment Market Association Show in Las Vegas.

In recognition of the specialty equipment industry’s commitment to advancing green vehicle products and solutions, SEMA has announced plans to dedicate an exhibit at this year’s SEMA Show to showcase those companies whose creativity and innovation in the development, deployment, and marketing of green technologies prove that being environmentally friendly can also be cool. The Making Green Cool Zone will be featured inside the South Hall (upper level) at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Awards will be presented to winning project vehicles, products, and technologies. The winners will be chosen by a select panel of qualified experts drawn from relevant automotive fields, such as performance aftermarket, powertrain technology, automotive design, environmental sustainability, brand positioning, and others.

With pressures to improve fuel mileage and consumers demanding even better performance with increased mileage, the association is taking a step to broaden its approach.

“The SEMA industry recognizes that being green is no longer limited to specific segments of the market. The green performance revolution is well underway. Going green is no longer an option — nearly 85% of Americans consider themselves environmentalists,” says John Waraniak, SEMA’s vice-president of vehicle technology. “SEMA wants to demonstrate that bringing more environmentally responsible vehicle technologies and products to the marketplace doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice performance and the ‘coolness’ factor.”

The new generation of performance and clean diesels, advanced hybrid powertrains, extended range, and pure electric vehicles represent blank canvases for the performance and specialty equipment industry. Greening up vehicles creates new and exciting business opportunities for SEMA members and the specialty equipment industry. The technology being put into alternative powertrain vehicles is quite advanced; however, innovative SEMA member companies will find ways to make new and existing vehicles go farther and faster with lighter wheels, tires with less rolling resistance, bearings and hubs with less friction, improved aerodynamics, and more innovative ideas and products.

To be eligible, vehicles, products, and technologies must be aligned with one or more of the following categories:

• High Performance and Green Mobility

• Current Powertrain Solutions

• Future Powertrain Solutions

• Vehicle Energy Management

• Mobile Electronics for Green Mobility

• Green Wheels, Tires, and Suspensions

• Fast-Tracking 35 MPG

• Making Green Cool

• Marketing Green Solutions

While not all technologies on display will be commercially available or even fully tested in field conditions, many of these green vehicle technologies will be discussed at the SEMA Vehicle Technology Briefing Seminar, “Clean Diesels, Wild Hybrids, and Muscle Electrics” being held November 5 at the SEMA Show.

“This generation’s moon shot program is green technology, and the Making Green Cool Zone will leverage SEMA’s performance heritage, as well as provide a glimpse of the future fusion of technology and cool,” says Waraniak.

For more information on SEMA, visit www.semashow.com