Hybridcarblog picks the best of the LA Auto Show
The Honda FCX was the most important car at the LA Auto ShowLately, the LA Auto Show has kind of been nicknamed the green car show. Well, hardcore green car fans were probably disappointed with this year's show. For starters, the opening day of the show was odd. GM's press announcement was the definition of green: Hybrids, the Volt, small cars. On the other hand Toyota focused on a large SUV (more on this role reversal).
Then there was the green car of the year award, which went to the Chevy Tahoe hybrid, a $50,000 full-sized hybrid SUV.
Thus, I'm just not sure this year's LA Auto Show was really green. (Finish)
Labels: Hybrid Vehicles, LA Auto Show
posted by Dahcredyns at
1:06 PM
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Lately, the LA Auto Show has kind of been nicknamed the green car show. Well, hardcore green car fans were probably disappointed with this year's show. For starters, the opening day of the show was odd. GM's press announcement was the definition of green: Hybrids, the Volt, small cars. On the other hand Toyota focused on a large SUV (more on this role reversal).
Then there was the green car of the year award, which went to the Chevy Tahoe hybrid, a $50,000 full-sized hybrid SUV.
Thus, I'm just not sure this year's LA Auto Show was really green.
Anyway, here are my picks for the Best of the LA Auto Show.
First place goes to the Honda FCX Clarity fuel cell vehicle. Not only is this vehicle production-ready, it's just plain sexy. More important, it's going on lease this summer. Still, that wasn't enough to give it my top pick. What pushed the FCX Clarity to the pole position was Honda's focus on the limitations of the hydrogen highway and trying to provide solutions to those limitations, such as the Home Fueling Station (more).
Second place goes to the Chevy Silverado hybrid, the first full hybrid pickup truck. Yes, this vehicle will probably be expensive when it hits dealerships in late 2008, but it's a Chevy hybrid pickup truck - now that's an American revolution.
Third place goes to the Mercedes S400 diesel hybrid. This car is absolutely gorgeous, and I liked it more than BMW's Hydrogen 7 - another stunningly beautiful green car - because it's more realistic today, and it could be a big hit with Europe's elite. It SHOULD be a big hit for wealthy Europeans that care about the planet. Also, I really like the the prospects of diesel hybrids, especially outside the U.S.
Fourth place is a five way tie amongst the Chevy Tahoe hybrid, GMC Yukon hybrid, Cadillac Escalade hybrid, Chrysler Aspen hybrid, and Dodge Durango hybrid. These full-size SUVs provide amazing fuel economy for such large vehicles. In fact, as I walked through the Mini Cooper section of the show, I noticed that these large hybrid SUVs can achieve about the same city fuel economy as many Mini's - that's impressive.
Fifth place goes to the Toyota Prius that was converted into a plug-in hybrid vehicle by the protesters across the street from the LA Auto Show (more). Toyota missed a fantastic opportunity to put to rest many of the environmental attacks that have recently plagued the automaker. The Toyota Prius is one of the hottest cars in Los Angeles, and California is by far the biggest market for hybrid cars, yet Toyota chose to focus on the Sequoia SUV rather than a glimpse of a third generation hybrid? Sad.
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