DETROIT - Chrysler LLC last week rolled out three plug-in concept cars at the North American International Auto Show, the venue where rival
Not to be outdone, GM said production may begin as soon as 2010 on a plug-in hybrid electric version of the Saturn Vue Green Line, which it expects to be the first regular production plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.
And
It's an electrifying race with many entrants, but one analyst says it's more of a public relations scramble right now for an industry that's lagged drivers' demand and desires for alternative power.
"The automotive industry is trying to have this green image, but I don't see a true commitment . . . where a company is taking a leadership role," said Thilo Koslowski, an automotive analyst for
"The concepts trickling down are primarily based on consumers demanding them. . . . From the initial perspective, we see a lot of talk about concepts. It doesn't mean you can actually realize those . . . for the mass market."
Chrysler's entries in the concept race are Chrysler ecoVoyager, Dodge Zeo, and Jeep Renegade. Officials say consumer demand isn't generated solely by technology. It also needs to come with distinctive designs - in other words, not a one-size-fits all approach.
Frank Klegon, Chrysler's product development chief, said the Zeo concept, which is completely electric, is designed to maintain Dodge's tradition of performance. The ecoVoyager, coupled with a fuel cell, is meant to convey Chrysler's reputation as an "iconic American brand." And the Renegade, combined with a low-emission diesel engine, is envisioned as a vehicle that could "go anywhere" and "go green."
Still, he said, they are purely concepts with no production guarantees.
"With emerging technologies, you don't really know which one is going to be the right solution, or something else that leapfrogs in the meantime," he said. "That's one challenge for us as an industry and a company."
GM hopes to have the Volt on the market by 2010 but is setting no firm date. This year, it's showing a similar plug-in hybrid concept that's a collaboration between Saturn and Opel.
GM also will extend its hybrid lineup, releasing a Saturn Vue two-mode hybrid, which is expected to boost fuel economy by about 50 percent when it hits showrooms this year. And it predicts the Vue plug-in hybrid will be the first regular production vehicle of its kind.
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