Future of Engineering
Monday, March 24, 2008
US Auto Makers Getting Aggressive on Hybrids, Fuel-efficient Cars
While vehicle sales and economic growth in the North American automotive industry remain strong, the automotive sector landscape is also fundamentally changing. Escalating gasoline prices and growing environmental concerns are facilitating a shift in vehicle needs among consumers, creating demand for more fuel-efficient vehicles such as gasoline-electric hybrids. According to the Electric Drive Transportation Association, sales of hybrids increased to over 330,000 in 2007, up from over 9,000 in 2000.
Toyota has been the most successful company to tap into this eco-trend. In 2006, a decade after the first Prius went on sale, Toyota’s global sales of hybrid vehicles hit one million. Targeting another market, Toyota is releasing its A-BAT, a hybrid truck with an oversized grill and rugged body, this year.
This type of innovative thinking is part of the reason Toyota surpassed Ford in U.S. auto sales to become the second largest car producer in the world, not far behind GM, the current global automotive leader. It has also driven U.S. automakers to launch aggressive plans, focusing on innovation, to help boost sales. Ford and GMC launched their first hybrids, and other carmakers, including Dodge, have revealed plans to produce their own lines of hybrids. Saturn is releasing a 2009 Vue Green Line “two-mode” hybrid, which combines towing capacity with fuel savings.
Many experts believe that the automotive industry will see continued growth and sales in other types of fuel-efficient vehicles.
More from here
Toyota has been the most successful company to tap into this eco-trend. In 2006, a decade after the first Prius went on sale, Toyota’s global sales of hybrid vehicles hit one million. Targeting another market, Toyota is releasing its A-BAT, a hybrid truck with an oversized grill and rugged body, this year.
This type of innovative thinking is part of the reason Toyota surpassed Ford in U.S. auto sales to become the second largest car producer in the world, not far behind GM, the current global automotive leader. It has also driven U.S. automakers to launch aggressive plans, focusing on innovation, to help boost sales. Ford and GMC launched their first hybrids, and other carmakers, including Dodge, have revealed plans to produce their own lines of hybrids. Saturn is releasing a 2009 Vue Green Line “two-mode” hybrid, which combines towing capacity with fuel savings.
Many experts believe that the automotive industry will see continued growth and sales in other types of fuel-efficient vehicles.
More from here
Labels: Energy-Environment-Engineering
PermaLink - US Auto Makers Getting Aggressive on Hybrids, Fuel-efficient Cars posted by Ecacofonix : 3:15 AM
