Green Car Journal aims to inform and entertain as it also provides food for thought. Our editors have been doing this for many years through the pages of the print Green Car Journal magazine, its GreenCarJournal.com online publication, and other media.
We are veteran writers and auto enthusiasts driven to make a difference. Cars are important to us….we hope they’re important to you. In our view they are more than simply conveyances for traveling from one point to another. We believe in the joy of driving…the freedom that personal transportation provides and the ability, on a whim, to get behind the wheel and experience the thrill of the open road.
Just as we acknowledged the growing importance of ‘green’ technologies and fuels with the first issue of Green Car Journal in 1992, our publications recognize that the cars of today are being influenced in ways large and small by advanced electronics and the movement of data. The ‘smart’ cars we’ve written about for years are among us. Sophisticated electronics, on-board computers, and cloud computing are improving the efficiency and safety of our vehicles, while also providing enhanced entertainment and connecting us to the world in ever-expanding ways.
It’s not lost on us that addressing the challenges of today – increasing fuel efficiency, decreasing CO2 and tailpipe emissions, lessening petroleum dependence, and improving environmental impact – is crucial or the cars we enjoy today may not be around in recognizable form for coming generations. We don’t want that to happen. So, we test new vehicles and technologies, we analyze, and we make sense of the ever-changing automotive landscape so we can share what we find with you. Then, we do more.
We’ve always believed it essential to hear diverse voices so we can carefully weigh what’s important as we move toward an evolving transportation future. That’s why we often include perspectives from auto industry, environmental, and technology leaders. Consider what they all have to say. Learn about the latest vehicles, fuels, and technologies through our articles. Come to understand the direction in which we are heading and whether this makes sense to you. Then act on it…by sharing your views with others, communicating with our political leaders, or simply driving a vehicle that reflects the values you feel important. When enough of us do this, we are actively encouraging a truly ‘greener’ driving future.
Ron Cogan, president of the Green Car Group, has been involved in the auto industry for 40 years. His extensive knowledge of this industry and keen grasp of environmental, political, and technology issues has been of value to the Green Car mission for two decades. That mission includes educating consumers, the media, and the industry on the benefits of advanced and environmentally conscious vehicles. In addition to his role as editor and publisher of Green Car Journal, Cogan served on the staff of Motor Trend and was the magazine’s specialist on advanced technology vehicles. He also launched and edited Petersen’s AUTOtronics magazine, with a focus on intelligent vehicles and automotive electronics. Cogan has been instrumental in producing the Green Car Summit on Capitol Hill; the Green Car Pavilion with the Washington Auto Show; Automobiles and the Environment conferences at the L.A. Auto Show; and Environmental Technology Expositions at the Society of Environmental Journalists national conferences. He oversees the highly regarded Green Car of the Year® award program with input from the nation’s major environmental organizations.
Todd Kaho’s diverse automotive background spans 38 years. He provides an insider’s expertise in understanding industry and consumer trends and has focused his attention on advanced technology vehicles, forward-thinking concepts, and the future of sustainable mobility for years. Kaho has an extensive background in road testing cars and light trucks. His behind-the-wheel experience and knowledge enables analyzing trends and new products with a clear, real-world understanding of what consumers need, expect, and desire. He is a recognized expert in the area of fuel economy and frugal driving techniques. Kaho’s outreach efforts have included many hours interacting with the public at major auto shows from coast-to-coast, explaining alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicle options, and overseeing electric car experiential programs that have seen more than 25,000 people experience electric car ride-alongs for the first time. He has also been involved with many highly successful image vehicle and motorsports technology transfer programs, with considerable involvement in the automotive aftermarket.
A 38-year automotive professional, Green Car Journal’s senior editor Cam Benty has served as editor-in-chief of major automotive magazines including Motor Trend and Car Craft, in addition to working with a diverse variety of hands-on technical automotive magazines, blogs, podcasts, and websites. Benty has an in-depth knowledge of the workings of the auto industry along with considerable insight into the needs, desires, and requirements of today’s new car buyers who are increasingly interested in driving vehicles exhibiting greater environmental performance. He possesses a deep understanding of vehicle engine systems and propulsion dynamics, continually expanding this knowledge by regularly test driving the latest ‘green’ vehicles powered by conventional high efficiency powerplants running on conventional and alternative fuels, plus the new generation of electric, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid models. Benty’s experience extends beyond vehicles themselves, with considerable time spent on programs involving the automotive aftermarket focused on vehicle accessories and systems.
Drew Hardin is a writer/editor/photographer whose 40-plus years in automotive journalism have encompassed vehicles of all kinds. A significant portion of his career was spent at Petersen Publishing (later Source Interlink, The Enthusiast Network, and Motor Trend Group), where he served as Editor of several magazines, including Hot Rod, 4-Wheel & Off-Road, Sport Truck, Muscle Car Review, and Hot Rod Deluxe, and contributed to many more. While working for those enthusiast publications, he made a point to keep informed of advances in the new car and truck market, to satisfy a curiosity about emerging technology he felt important since driving pioneering vehicles like GM’s EV-1 and the first-generation Honda Insight. His expertise in enthusiast and vintage cars and trucks brings a unique perspective to his assignments for Green Car Journal, as he is drawn to those electric, hybrid, and ultra-efficient vehicles that strike a balance between cutting-edge technology and a rewarding and engaging driving experience.
Bill Siuru, a prolific contributor to Green Car Journal since its very beginning, sadly passed in July of 2020 at the age of 82. He was a retired USAF colonel who wrote about technology for over 40 years. A member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), Bill earned a Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Wayne State University, a Master’s degree in aeronautical engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology, and a PhD in mechanical engineering from Arizona State University. He additionally taught engineering at West Point and the U.S. Air Force Academy. Over these years Bill authored features and technical articles for diverse automotive, aeronautical, and engineering publications and for Green Car Journal since 1992. Bill possessed a thorough understanding of the complex technologies that power the most advanced vehicles and an ability to share knowledge of these technologies in easily understandable ways. An author of many books in his areas of expertise, Bill was an invaluable member of the Green Car Journal team with his keen ability and insights into breaking news about alternative fuels, vehicles, and powertrains, analyzing their importance to the future of the automotive field. He will be missed by all who knew and worked with him.