SAN DIEGO, September 27, 2006 - The San Diego Zoo and San Diego
Zoo’s Wild Animal Park have added a new species to their vehicle
menagerie, with the addition of three Mercury Mariner Hybrid SUVs – the
first full-hybrid premium compact SUV and Green Car Journal’s “Green
Car of the Year.” The Zoo selected the Mariner Hybrid because of the
vehicle’s overall efficiency, functionality and decreased environmental
impact when driving executive staff members between the two parks.
“As an organization dedicated to conservation, the Zoological Society
of San Diego believes a healthy ecosystem is key to the preservation of
animals and plants,” said Ted Molter, Zoological Society of San Diego
director of marketing. “It is the Society’s mission to educate the
public about the importance of protecting wildlife and the environment.
We are continuously in search of other ways to reduce our footprint on
this earth, including how we drive.”
In June, the San Diego Zoo leased its three Mariner Hybrids from Witt Lincoln Mercury in San Diego.
“To be associated with the San Diego Zoo, which is dedicated to
increasing appreciation for the natural world and preserving the
environment, is an honor,” said Ed Witt, Witt Lincoln Mercury owner.
“We are proud of our longstanding involvement in the San Diego
community, where we live and work, and are very pleased to see our
vehicles be part of the world famous San Diego Zoo.”
The 2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid delivers an EPA-estimated 33 city/29
highway mpg, achieving 50 to 90 percent better fuel economy than the
average SUV. The blend of gasoline and electric propulsion (2.3-liter
DOHC Duratec four-cylinder engine, two AC electric motors, and a
nickel-metal hydride battery), along with an electronically controlled,
continuously variable transmission, allows the Mariner Hybrid to travel
up to 400 miles on one tank of gas in typical driving.
