Car manufacturers go green for survival
Of all the industries in trouble, the car industry seems closer to the edge of the cliff than any other. Yet the Geneva Car Show had almost every major motor manufacturer showing off their latest green options. From the new Prius hybrid to Peugeot’s diesel hybrid to GM’s new electric vehicle (oh, the irony) to VW’s Eco-motion options, it is very clear that they see green as a route to survival.
There are a number of image benefits for the car companies:
– to be seen to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem
– to be seen to be part of the future rather than a relic of the past
– to try and corner new and future markets however small they are at present
– to tap into the ‘new frugality’ public feeling that has come with the recession
– to sweeten the pill of Government intervention by demonstrating ‘societal’ benefits
But whatever the motives, there is a clear message that ‘green’ won’t only survive the economic crisis, but it may even be a lifeboat for this and, by extension, many other business sectors.