2009 Detroit Auto Show Preview: Hybrids Galore!

Posted by in Hybrids on 01 11th, 2009 | no responses

Detroit —Left with vacant space to fill at this month’s annual auto show, desperate organizers chose to fill it with an unusual commodity in this horsepower-hungry town: green cars. Auto show visitors can drive hybrids and electric cars on a surreal test track winding past waterfalls and trees. The entire 70,000-square-foot basement of Detroit’s battered Cobo Hall convention center will be filled with a test track that winds through waterfalls and trees. Visitors can drive various hybrid, electric, and green cars, slowly, while carmaker reps or professional drivers sit next to them and pitch the product. It’s the first time Detroit has offered a section for green cars—unlike some other shows, including last summer’s London Motor Show —but the withdrawal of several carmakers, including Nissan, allowed every carmaker who wanted space to exhibit on the main floor. Media days for the internationally watched show kick off on Sunday, Jan 11. Here’s a preview of the hybrids and electric vehicles that will appear. Check back for breaking news and updates as they come. Mercedes-Benz The BlueZero E-Cell is an all-electric plug-in model with a range of approximately 60 miles on a two-hour charge. read more