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As we just noted in our rather last, rather sobering post, there isn't going to be a lot of gravy at this year's North American International Auto Show...but that doesn't mean there won't be a lot of high quality meat, especially for the greens.
In fact, I don't think I've been this excited about an auto show since I started blogging. What will we be seeing? Well, I can't say for certain, but we can start by skimming the surface of what we know already.
BYD will be showing off the world's first production plug-in vehicle, and while it won't be available in the U.S. until 2011, it's pretty impressive that China managed to beat both the U.S. and Japan to the punch on plug-in hybrids.
Fisker, will be unveiling it's production plug-in Karma. The car, which made a huge splash last year in concept form, is like a cheaper, more practical, more beautiful Telsa Roadster.
Toyota will be unveiling the 2010 Prius, which, according to reports, will be restyled, larger and have better gas mileage than ithe current version. They'll also be discussing the plug-in Prius, and an all-electric car (the FT-EV) based on the iQ.
Honda will be showing off it's new Insight, which will bring the cost of hybrids down to a base price of just $20,000. And it looks pretty fanstastic too.
Cadillac is apparently working on a shiny new E-Flex prototype, smaller (and more likely to be produced) than the Provoq crossover, a hydrogen E-Flex concept they showed off last year. Cadillac has promised that this new coupe is going to knock the socks off of car design fans...I just want to know how it's going to be powered.
Ford will remind us all tha the new Fusion hybrid has extremely fantastic fuel economy, but I'm holding out hope that they've got something more interesting in store for us as well.
Chevy will continue to talk about the Volt, of course, but also about the 2010 Chevy Spark, a micro car based on the Beat. The Spark could take the place of the Aveo as a sportier, more upscale small car for Chevrolet...that is, if they decide to sell it in the U.S..
Dodge will tout its Tesla Clone, the Dodge Circuit, with impressive specs and an all-electric drive. Of course, Dodge might also be out of business before it can get the car on the road.
Lexus will debut a dedicated hybrid, the HS250h, which I'm looking forward to seeing. We're not sure when it will hit dealerships, but the idea, basically, is a luxury Prius.
If that's not enough meat for you, I don't know what is! Plus, that's just the confirmed or leaked stuff, it's possible that the manufacturers have actually kept something under their hats this year (though, the past few years has proven that unlikely.)
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written by Mike Osullivan, January 11, 2009
If you back up over the history of Detroit, they are always last to the diner table when it comes to what the public wants in vehicles.
Back in the 70's when oil embargo woke up America, what did Detroit do, they rushed compacts to market like the GM Vega, a disaster, or how about the GM diesel, another disaster, so here we go again.
Hopefully, after more than three decades, they would have learned their lessen, but here again, they are late to diner with hybrids while Toyota once again had jump on market. Where the U.S. manufacturers have constantly failed to read the market trends in time, the foreign based manufacturers have.
I can't help think of the GM electric vehicle which they ended up crushing all of them. Here was the one time they were ahead of energy efficiency curve for electric vehicles, and what do they do, crush it, now was that smart? lol
In all the years I have followed the automotive industry, I can only think of one decision GM made which was smart, and that was to bring the high quality german based Opel to replace the Saturn line. Most know Saturn were junk, but because of one price concept, they succeeded in the beginning as most people hate the car buying experience, so over all these years, how many smart decisions were made at GM? Now that each of us, as taxpayers are being forced to bail out GM, everyone should be more interested than ever, so GM, you are on notice, the public is watching.
www.Nano-Electric.com
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written by Clinch, January 11, 2009
This always confuses me, how exactly is a plug-in vehicle different to an electric vehicle (I assume you recharge electric vehicles by plug, so they are also plug-in), because there are already electric vehicles in production.
So in what way is the BYD's car first?!?
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written by David, January 11, 2009
So in what way is the BYD's car first?!? "
Plug-in Hybrid.
BYD is not all electric like the Xebra, etc. It's still a Hybrid, just one you can plug-in and pre-charge.
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written by peejay, January 12, 2009
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written by Loosely_coupled, January 12, 2009
Please learn elementary-school manners, and stop being such a jerk-off. The content on this website is provided free of charge, if you have a problem with it, then leave!
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written by Loosely_coupled, January 12, 2009
Please learn elementary-school manners, and stop being such a jerk-off. The content on this website is provided free of charge, if you have a problem with it, then leave!
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written by HankSmith, January 12, 2009
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written by Clinch, January 12, 2009
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written by Sarah, January 14, 2009
-Sarah
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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written by Sarah, January 14, 2009
Thanks again!
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written by Ray Fontanes, January 14, 2009
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written by Ana Belen, January 20, 2009
Hope this helps and if they are going to start selling this small efficient cars I might even buy one.
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written by Bryan, October 20, 2011
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Not sure about this one, but has anyone heard of a Cadillac CTS hybrid??