All the major exhibitors at the 2008 show trumpeted their commitment to fuel economy—but they also flexed some muscle

It was tough to focus on all the new vehicles at the North American International Auto Show when so much of the show-stand conversations seemed to be about falling sales, the nose-diving economy, and the 2008 Presidential election. Three White House candidates even showed up at the show during the press preview, which coincided with the Michigan primary.

The one steady stream of chatter about the vehicles in a year dominated by “green” announcements was a debate over when General Motors (GM) and Toyota (TM) will be able to bring gas-electric plug-in hybrid vehicles to the U.S., and who will be first.
Green One-Upmanship

At last year’s Detroit show, General Motors got all the attention with the Chevy Volt plug-in. This year, Toyota was having none of it. The automaker’s CEO promised two more designated hybrid models like the Prius—one for Toyota and one for Lexus—plus a plug-in hybrid by 2010 and a diesel engine for the Tundra pickup in 2009.

The race to introduce the first viable plug-in car is considered important because many analysts believe it will be a bigger development than hybrids. GM calls its Volt an “extended range” electric car. This is how it works: A vehicle will run, in the case of GM’s Volt, between 30 miles and 40 miles on a charged lithium-ion battery. After it runs out of juice, a gas motor kicks in to run the battery and recharge it. Owners can also recharge the battery from a household electrical outlet. For people who drive fewer than 40 miles a day, such a car is a game-changer for fuel economy and carbon emissions.

Ford, which previously got burned making green promises it couldn’t keep, is promoting a new family of direct-injection turbo-charged engines. The company says the engine will get up to 20% better fuel economy than its current engines. It will start offering the engine in its cars, and eventually trucks, this fall. While this technology may not be as green as hybrids and plug-ins, the move will save drivers lots of gas over time.

Audi, BMW, and Honda, in addition to Toyota, announced plans to bring more clean diesel vehicles to American showrooms as a way to increase the fuel economy of the U.S. fleet. American drivers have a love-hate relationship with diesel cars. Driving enthusiasts love them for the performance attributes, but basic-transportation consumers don’t understand them, associating them with smoke-belching tractor trucks. When Honda, a company most associated with clean, fuel-efficient cars, joins the diesel parade in 2010 with an Acura, though, that attitude may start to change.