Carmakers from around the world will converge on Detroit this week for
the annual North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) to exhibit
their newest products. On display will be everything from production
vehicles that can be purchased today to concepts that won’t be on the
showroom floor for years to come. Most of this year’s exhibitors have
at least one thing in common, they will be debuting and displaying the
newest developments in clean, green vehicles.
“Already the trends are
showing that there will be a great emphasis this year on fuel-efficient
vehicles, as well alternative technologies in powertrain. We also are
expecting greater trends toward lighter vehicles that emphasize the
role of design in maximizing space,” said Joe Serra, NAIAS 2008 co-chairman.
Manufacturers
bringing their newest clean products to this year’s show include Dodge,
Chevrolet, Toyota, Cadillac, Chrysler, Honda, Saturn, Jeep and Mazda.
And, according to Michelle Krebs, editor of AutoObserver.com, this year’s show boasts the largest number of new green vehicles she has seen at one show.
“I
would say that this year’s Detroit Auto Show has more green than any
auto show I’ve ever seen and every shade of it,” Krebs said. “The tide
has turned and there’s no turning back. This is a reality of life now.”
The technologies that individual companies will be showing run the gamut. Dodge will be showing its ZEO Concept, a four-passenger 2+2 sport wagon with
an electric-only propulsion system and a lithium-ion battery pack
providing a predicted range of 250 miles. Toyota will exhibit its A-Bat Hybrid Truck Concept. Cadillac will show its new Hybrid Escalade with GM’s new dual-mode hybrid system, promising a 50-percent increase in fuel economy. Chrysler will debut its ecoVoyager, an electric vehicle powered by an advanced
lithium-ion battery pack along with a small advanced hydrogen fuel cell
and its new Aspen Hybrid.
Honda is bringing its new CR-Z Gas/Electric Hybrid to the show which features the same engine as the company’s hybrid civic. Saturn will show the new Vue Green Line 2-mode Hybrid and the Vue Flextreme, a plug in hybrid. Mazda will be showing a new Hydrogen Hybrid. Jeep is showing its new Renegade Concept, a gas/electric hybrid. Ford will premier its new EcoBoost new engine which promises 20% better fuel economy. And Chevrolet will unveil the company’s new Volt model, a zero-carbon emitting electric compact car with a range of about 30 miles.
In addition to all of the new vehicles at the show, General Motors has also announced an agreement with Coskata, Inc. to commercialize its process for turning biomass into ethanol.