The CEOs of the Big Three automakers were blasted by US lawmakers last month for bringing their tin cups to Washington in corporate jets. This time around, they seem to have learned a lesson in the value of political symbolism (oh, around $25 billion). So for this trip to the capitol, the Ford and GM CEOs have declared that they’ll travel in hybrid cars, no doubt with their tin cups safely nestled in the cupholders too. But lawmakers would be well advised to examine the symbolism of the specific vehicle models chosen by the CEOs for their journey.
Electric cars get more than their share of press these days. Just consider the Tesla Roadster, or the Chevrolet Volt. But a quiet startup in California, Miles Electric, may bring the first fully electric sedan to the US market within 18 months—and it would be the first Chinese-made car sold here as well. In an exclusive two-hour interview, president and CEO Kevin Czinger discussed the company’s strategy, its market positioning, and the development of its Highway Speed model.
The BMW 335d clean diesel sedan arrives in showrooms this month, followed by the BMW X5 clean diesel SUV in January. Before the public has had a chance to decide on the value equation of its first two luxury diesel vehicles in the $40,000 to $50,000 price range, BMW is now considering an even more expensive clean diesel 7-series sedan.
Many of today’s hybrid drivers keep a close eye on the fuel economy reading on the dashboard. Instantaneous MPG readings provide essential feedback about the effects of toes tapping on the accelerator, extended stretches of coasting, and easing on the brakes. But the new generation of fuel efficiency dashboard displays takes hybrid geekiness to a new level—turning drivers into game players on wheels.
Electric cars have garnered a lot of media attention in recent months. Some consumers might get the impression that gas-free vehicles will be ready to take global roads by storm in the next year or two. But according to a new report from PricewaterhouseCoopers, production of all-electric vehicles will take another eight to 10 years before reaching the level of today’s hybrid cars.
Carlos Ghosn, CEO of both Nissan and French carmaker Renault, gave the keynote address to kick off the show’s media days. After nodding to the severe financial pressures facing all carmakers in the current market slowdown, he reiterated Nissan’s plans to offer an electric vehicle in the US and Japan in 2010 for commercial customers and large fleets, with showroom sales to consumers in 2012. Ghosn envisions as many as seven million pure electric vehicles being sold around the world by 2020.
The brand-new VW Jetta TDI diesel took the Green Car of the Year award at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show. The Jetta TDI won based on its high fuel efficiency numbers—41 mpg on the highway and 30 in the city—and its price point of $21,900.
BMW presented a pair of hybrids yesterday—both packed with V8 engines—at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The old news is the BMW X6 full hybrid crossover, which debuted last year in Frankfurt. The new item is the BMW 7-series mild hybrid concept, which promises a 15 percent reduction in fuel consumption. (Yawn.)
Hyundai Motor America announced today that it will be able to achieve a fleet average of 35 miles per gallon by 2015, five years ahead of the timetable for new fuel economy regulations. The company revealed its fuel economy goals at the Los Angeles Auto Show, where it unveiled the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid and described its plan for low-cost high-mpg options on other models.
Hybrids will take center stage at 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show, which opens to the public on Nov. 21. Thirty hybrid models will be on display—revealing the diversity of options coming to the market, including small affordable hybrid cars, luxury hybrids, sporty hybrids, hybrid crossover SUVs, hybrid pickups, and even a Toyota Camry Hybrid concept that runs on a combination of electric power and compressed natural gas.
