Automaker Innovations

What's New on Wheels  

Today, consumers can choose from more than 100 vehicle models with EPA-estimated highway ratings of 30 mpg or more.

And consumer choices continue to grow. Seventy models of hybrids, clean diesel and ethanol-powered autos are on sale now — more than five times the number available in 2000. More than 12 million alternative fuel vehicles are on U.S. roads today. Here are some examples:

	BMW: Will have two 50-state diesel models this fall: the 335d and X5 xDrive 35d. Coming midyear 2009: the X6 Active Hybrid, a two-mode from a consortium with GM and Mercedes. BMW also has 25 Hydrogen 7 demos, with hydrogen internal combustion engines, in the United States.
	Chrysler: Has 10 flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs) that can run on 85 percent ethanol. Jeep Grand Cherokee is available as a diesel in 45 states; a 50-state Dodge Ram 1500 will be offered with diesel in 2010. Chrysler’s first hybrids—Chrysler Aspen and Dodge Durango Hemi—are out this summer, with Ram 1500 in 2010.
	Ford: Will produce within five years more than 500,000 EcoBoost vehicles, with direct injection turbocharge and lightweight transmission. Ford now has five light-duty flex-fuel models, plus two hybrids, adding the Ford Fusion and Mer-cury Milan models later this year. The F-150 gets a 50-state diesel engine in 2009. Ford also has a test fleet of 30 hydrogen-powered Focus fuel cell vehicles.
	GM: Currently has 11 light-duty FFVs; they will be 50 percent of production by 2012. GM’s hybrid strategy: focus on large vehicles, such as the Tahoe and Yukon, for large fuel savings, with eight hybrid models out by year-end. Electric strategy: Chevy Volt plug-in is set for late 2010. Long term: GM likes hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and has a test fleet of 100 fuel cell Equinoxes, but needs to slash costs.
	Honda/Acura: Honda now has a hybrid Civic, will debut a dedicated hybrid five-door hatchback in early 2009. Later it will intro a small hybrid sports car based on the CR-Z concept. Acura will offer a 50-state diesel within a year, then Honda will. Honda plans to lease 200 FCX Clarity fuel cell vehicles by 2011.
	Toyota/Lexus: Each automaker has three hybrids, and each will intro another one next year. Toyota’s goals: sell one million hybrids annually, and offer a demo fleet of plug-in hybrids by the early 2010s, and have a hybrid option for all models by the 2020s. Tundra and Sequoia will have flex-fuel and clean diesel versions. Toyota also has several fuel cell vehicle prototypes at two college campuses.
	Volkswagen: Will have a clean-diesel Jetta by September—from the BlueTec partnership with Audi and Mercedes—and a clean-diesel Touareg next spring.
	Mercedes-Benz: First 50-state BlueTec diesels—ML 320, GL 320, and R 320—out in October, and the E320 in 2010. Late in 2009, Mercedes will offer two gas/electric hybrids: S 400 single mode and ML 450 dual mode.
	Nissan: Plans to produce mass-market electric vehicles by 2012. Also coming: a clean-diesel Maxima in 2010 and a fuel cell vehicle in the early 2010s.