The 2009 Detroit Auto Show is this week, and there is plenty of exciting green automotive action going down! The auto companies exhibiting seem to be working to “out-green” each other…. which is fine by us.
Toyota unveiled its new 2010 Prius to great excitement. This new model will offer 50 MPG, up from 46 MPG for the current model. The new model also featured solar panels on the roof which power the car’s cooling system. The new Prius is also faster, accelerating from 0 to 60 MPH in 9.5 seconds. (Although how many Prius drivers are really into gunning it?) They have not yet announced the price (current models start at ~$22K), but the new Prius will be on sale in the US this Spring.
Another green car leader, Honda, unveiled its new Insight hybrid model for 2010. According to MSNBC, the Insight’s hybrid design is quite different from Toyota’s, functioning as a primarily gas-powered vehicle with an electric assist motor, a decision that produces better highway fuel economy than city mileage. The Insight will get 40 in the city and 43 on the highway, according to Honda. The Insight will also likely cost less than the Prius as it has a smaller battery and electric motor. Honda has not announced the price of its new Insight, but said that it will be below that of its Civic hybrid. Likely it will go for around $20,000.
The American companies were also trying to seem like they were on the green super-highway to the future. Chrysler showed off the 200C EV with an electric power train. This is still a concept car, based on the existing Chrysler 300C model. This new hybrid car will go 40 miles on electricity, with an engine generating more energy for additional range when needed. Let’s hope they stay in business long enough to bring this car to market!
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