New York Auto Show: The Power of Green

By Bill Howard

Posted May 13, 2008, at 1 p.m.

Billed as an ode to performance cars, the early spring New York show was also an environmental statement. It was both because many of the cars getting world debuts in New York were performance minded and that drew the attention of the media. But they were balanced out by the wide variety of hybrid, electric, hydrogen and clean diesel vehicles on display.

Perhaps the most important green announcement came from Mercedes-Benz, which announced it has developed low-emission diesel engines that can be sold in all 50 states this fall. BMW and Volkswagen should have 50-state diesels then, too. Diesels are important because they may be the most efficient power plants for motorists who drive lots of highway miles. Gas-electric hybrids get great mileage in city driving because the car regenerates power to storage batteries each time it slows down, but that's not possible on the highway. There, a diesel-powered car can get 20 percent to 40 percent better mileage. And technology hasn't just made diesels nearly equal to gasoline engines on emissions, they also start quickly, with almost no clatter, and there's little diesel exhaust smell.

Toyota, generally recognized as the green leader among major automakers, showed not just green cars but a green booth. The materials were mostly recycled or would be recycled. Fabric wall and overhead panels used non-toxic inks. The carpeting employed backing adhesives that substituted agricultural resources for petroleum products. Wood used for building stands and platforms had Forestry Stewardship Council recognition. Even the signs proclaiming Toyota's green commitment were made of readily available, not-at-all-endangered bamboo.

Some two-dozen different hybrid models were on the show floor, most all seen or announced beforehand. But the breadth of the offerings and the big how-they-work cutaways gave show goers the sense hybrids and alternative fuel vehicles aren't a flash in the pan. Some of them included:

• The Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra two-mode hybrid pickup trucks
• Chevrolet Tahoe, Chrysler Aspen and Saturn Vue two-mode SUVs
• Ford Escape, RX400h, Mercury Mariner and Toyota Highlander hybrid SUVS
• Honda Civic, Toyota Camry, Toyota Prius, Lexus GS450h and Lexus 600hL hybrids.

The two-mode hybrids actually integrate electric motors in the vehicle transmissions and are considered to be an even-more-efficient next generation of hybrids. These two-modes are the work of a consortium among BMW, DaimlerChrysler (now Chrysler and Daimler separately) and General Motors.

BMW's hybrid is due next year. GM showed a large number of flex-fuel vehicles, meaning they can burn gasoline or E85 fuel, a mixture that's 85 percent ethanol, 15 percent gasoline. One such vehicle was the Saab 9-X BioHybrid, which could be a production car in two to three years.

Chevrolet showed the Volt concept car that may be ready for production in two to three years. It has a big battery pack made of lithium ion cells, similar to the ones in laptop computers, with a range of about 40 miles, more than most people drive in any day. A small gasoline engine powers and recharges the batteries on long trips. Drawing power from a socket in your garage is so efficient that the cost is equivalent to driving on 50-cents-per-gallon gasoline, GM engineers say.

There were several important mainstream cars announced at the New York show also, including several performance-comes-first vehicles. Pontiac introduced its G8 GXP muscle car with a 400-hp V8 engine and a G8 sport truck that resembles the old Chevrolet El Camino, meaning it looks like a passenger car pickup truck. Dodge introduced additional flavors of the Challenger, so that by this fall you'll have versions with a V6 engine (SE), 370-hp V8 (R/T) and 425-hp V8 (SRT8).

Nissan showed the next generation of its flagship Maxima sedan with more emphasis on performance, and an upgraded interior that should set it apart from the cheaper Altima. It arrives this summer.

Acura introduced the next TSX, the smallest model in its lineup. The number of buttons and switches has been reduced and a USB key is standard, allowing you to connect an iPod. It's here this spring.

While it's not a hybrid, the remodeled, more powerful and roomier Honda Fit is small and efficient; its' due in the fall. It will offer an in-dash navigation system option, which is unusual for cars in the $15,000 range.

Volvo introduced to the U.S. the XC60, a downsized crossover vehicle variant of the XC90. Its "City Safety" feature brakes the car automatically if the driver doesn't respond quickly to a possible rear-end collision. It's due in early 2009.

The Ford Transit Taxi is a concept vehicle based on a small, high delivery truck concept. Other variants could hold the gear of a small rock band or a contractor's tools. Its four-cylinder engine would get about 20 mpg.

Ford also showed a car wreck, specifically a Taurus sedan it crash-tested to show how badly the front of the car can crumple with no intrusion into the passenger compartment. Such displays may be changing the auto industry mindset that you can talk about safety, but only in abstract ways.

BMW unveiled the CS Coupe, a concept vehicle that is a low-slung four-door coupe meant for four people, preferably not much over 6-feet tall, to travel in style. It might become a production car in the next year.

Auto shows are also about dreams, both kids seeing cars they'd love to own, and adults building concept cars they'd love others to buy. One of the most unusual was the Milner AirCar, the latest take on the flying automobile. You'd drive from your house to an airport, unfold the wings stacked on the roof, take off, and fly to your destination. The AirCar has a working engine for driving, but the flying part is still very much a concept.

Also looking to the future, the X PRIZE Foundation and Progressive jointly announced the $10 million dollar Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE, which invites teams from around the world to focus on a single goal: design viable, clean and super-efficient cars that get 100 mpg that people want to buy.

Bio: Bill Howard is an experienced automotive writer and the editor of TechnoRide.com, the car technology site produced by Ziff Davis. Previously, he was PC Magazine's executive editor. Howard is also vice president of the International Motor Press Association.

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The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and not necessarily those of Progressive Casualty Insurance Company or its affiliates.