Environment

Inside Chevrolet Malibu’s Environmental Backstory

Jun 4, 2015 2:45 PM ET
Campaign: GM Greener Vehicles

Many of the products and services we use are a statement of our values – it’s a reflection of who we are. Drivers of the Chevrolet Malibu with stop/start technology know they chose an efficient ride that gets up to 36 mpg on the highway. In recognition of World Environment Day coming up on June 5, we’re sharing some of the other lesser-known aspects of this sedan that appeal to those living an environmentally conscious lifestyle.

  • Green tech: We know it’s wasteful to leave a light on when we’re not in a room—Chevrolet’s stop/start technology similarly works to avoid wasteful idling. When the engine is at a red light and idling, the engine shuts off. Direct injection also enables more precise fuel delivery to improve MPGs and reduce emissions. Vehicle idling also results in Americans wasting approximately 3.8 million gallons of gas each day, according to a study by The Hinkle Charitable Foundation.
  • Responsible manufacturing:
    • The Malibu engines are built in energy-efficient facilities in Spring Hill, Tennessee and Buffalo, New York. Both of these plants have surpassed the U.S. EPA ENERGY STAR® Challenge for Industry by reducing energy intensity by more than 25 percent in less than five years. The grounds also are home to wildlife habitat programs certified by the nonprofit Wildlife Habitat Council.  Spring Hill has earned statewide awards for waste reduction and Tonawanda Engine in Buffalo is a landfill-free facility sending nothing from daily operations to a landfill. Everything there is recycled, reused or converted to energy.
    • The assembly plants in Fairfax, Kansas and Detroit-Hamtramck, Michigan where everything comes together have strong environmental credentials, too. The Fairfax facility swapped out its light fixtures with more efficient ones and upgraded its paint shop to use up to 50 percent less energy per vehicle compared to traditional processes. It also recycles 89 percent of its daily waste. More than half of the Detroit-Hamtramck facility’s operations – 58 percent to be exact – are powered purely by renewable energy. The site is home to Michigan’s largest ground-mount solar array, and process steam derived from Detroit trash heats and cools the facility.
  • Community outreach: The employees in these plants know that it’s part of their jobs to spread their knowledge to inspire more eco-friendly action in the community. That’s why people from all of these buildings mentor youth through the GM GREEN partnership—donning waders to test water quality in rivers and teaching kids how their everyday actions impact their watersheds.

Recognize #WorldEnvironmentDay and reduce your impact by driving your Malibu efficiently, cleaning out your trunk to avoid extra weight, and properly inflating your tires. Better yet—carpool or bike to your destination.