Green Car Space

Detroit Motor Show goes green

The Green Car Space

Toyota FT EV concept car

The highly anticipated North American International Auto Show in Detroit has taken off with a dull roar, and the word on the road is "green". Organisers this year have dedicated a space to showcase exciting development in fuel efficiency and eco cars. Toyota is in the spotlight, with the debut of its 3rd generation Prius as well as a sneak peek at the highly anticipated concept electric vehicle, Toyota FT-EV.

The Green Car Space

A new ride and drive element highlighting the green future of the automotive industry has been added to the 2009 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). During the NAIAS press preview (Jan. 11-13) and Public Show (Jan. 17-25) attendees will be able to experience the latest in technology in a ride-and-drive format on a track built in Michigan Hall. NAIAS organizers have set aside 70,000 sq. ft. of floor space to feature this initiative in panoramic nature surroundings.

Hybrid City

Calling the Prius an "eco-icon," Bob Carter, group vice president and general manager, Toyota Division Group, says that the new 2010 Prius, when it goes on sale this spring, will be the highest-mileage car sold in America.

Thanks to a host of improvements and refinements - Toyota said the powertrain for the 2010 Prius is 90 percent newly developed - the combined fuel-economy figure for the Prius has jumped from 41 mpg when the first-generation car was launched in the U.S. in 2000, to 46 mpg for the current Prius and now to 50 mpg for the 2010 model.
Carter said the new Prius achieves its impressive efficiency thanks to a host of innovations, as evidenced by the more than 1,000 patent applications related to the new Prius' development. The car now has engineering features such as an electric water pump and smaller and lighter major electrical components such as the inverter and drive motor.

Along with the new Prius, the industry was abuzz with the unveiling of Toyota's electric vehicle concept the FT-EV. Toyota's FT-EV concept imagines an urban dweller, driving up to 50 miles between home, work and other forms of public transportation, such as high-speed rail. Although, for now, the FT-EV remains a pure concept, it represents a natural pairing of product strategies. The FT-EV concept shares its platform with the revolutionary-new iQ urban commuter vehicle, which has already been a huge hit in Japan.

The North American International Auto Show runs in Detroit until 25 January.

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