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Detroit Auto Show 2010: The 24 Best Green Cars

January 10, 2010 by 6 Comments
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The Detroit Auto Show starts on Monday and runs til the 24th of this month. Along with the EcoXperience returning to the show’s basement, a new display called Electric Avenue will premier. The “avenue” will be an orgy of electric cars ranging from the Nissan LEAF to X Prize alumni.

A Brand New Toyota Hybrid

Toyota will unveil a new dedicated hybrid at the Detroit show on Monday. Pictured above is Toyota’s Hybrid X concept from a few years ago. Rumors say the new model is just a hybrid version of the Yaris, but Toyota claims it’s a brand new model all together.

UPDATE: The picture above has been updated for Toyota’s new hybrid. The concept is called the FT-CH. Read more on the vehicle here.

Hyundai Blue-Will Plug-in Hybrid

Hyundai says the concept car can travel up to 40 miles using only the electric engine. It has a 1.6-liter gas engine with a 100 kw electric engine. Some parts of it are even made from bio-based or recycled plastics; it also has solar cells in the glass roof.

Edison2′s Very Light Car

The Very Light Car, which is both its name and its description, is modeled after low-weight and low-to-the-ground race cars. Powered by a single-cylinder gasoline engine, the vehicle has an extremely light drivetrain, body and suspension. By using a conventional drivetrain, the car will also be more affordable.

Michelin Venturi Volage

Amazingly, each wheel on this car holds 2 electric motors. One of the motors spins the wheel and transmits power to the ground and the second acts as an active suspension system to improve comfort, handling and stability. It has a range of 199 miles and does 0-60 in less than five seconds.

Electric Fiat 500

About 3 feet longer than a SmartCar, the Fiat 500 seats four people and will be built in Mexico. The car could be a direct competitor for BMW’s electric MINI E. The electric option will be one of three available for the Fiat 500.

BMW Concept ActiveE

BMW’s ActiveE concept seats four, has a 100 mile range and an iPhone app to boot. The car is based on the BMW 1 Series Coupe.

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About Jerry James Stone

Jerry is a web developer, part-time blogger and a full-time environmentalist. His crusade for all things eco started twenty years ago when he ditched his meat-and-potatoes upbringing for something more vegetarian-shaped.

He currently works at Care2 and also blogs over at Treehugger. His passions include green tech, eco politics and smart green design. And while he doesn't own a car anymore, he loves to write about those too.

Jerry studied at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, CA. During his time there he was a DJ at the campus station KCPR and he also wrote for the campus paper.

Jerry currently resides in San Francisco, CA with his cat Lola.

You can stalk him on Twitter @jerryjamesstone.

  • http://loveearthalways.com LoveEarthAlways

    Very impressive lineup, Hopefully the US automakers will take notice and put themselves in the driver’s seat for increased auto sales with cars like these.

  • http://loveearthalways.com LoveEarthAlways

    Very impressive lineup, Hopefully the US automakers will take notice and put themselves in the driver’s seat for increased auto sales with cars like these.

  • GreenRepublican

    Very encouraging developments. I agree with LoveEarthAlways: Ford, Chrysler and Government Motors had better get going on hybrids and plug-in hybrids.

    As for the vehicles on display in Detroit, several are out of the question for our family because they are too small and/or light.

    I won’t risk the lives of my wife and child by sticking them in a flimsy vehicle that will be decimated in an accident with even a decent-sized car (let alone trucks and SUVs). Our 2009 Prius is about as small and light as we’re willing to go.

    We’ll focus on green vehicles that aren’t death traps in an accident. Top two on our list are the forthcoming plug-in hybrid versions of the Ford Escape SUV and the Prius.

    We’re hoping that both those vehicles will be assembled in the USA, too. The plug-in hybrid Escape will probably be made in Kansas City, Missouri, like the “regular” hybrid Escape. The plug-in hybrid Prius may be assembled at Toyota’s recently-built plant in Mississippi.

  • GreenRepublican

    Very encouraging developments. I agree with LoveEarthAlways: Ford, Chrysler and Government Motors had better get going on hybrids and plug-in hybrids.

    As for the vehicles on display in Detroit, several are out of the question for our family because they are too small and/or light.

    I won’t risk the lives of my wife and child by sticking them in a flimsy vehicle that will be decimated in an accident with even a decent-sized car (let alone trucks and SUVs). Our 2009 Prius is about as small and light as we’re willing to go.

    We’ll focus on green vehicles that aren’t death traps in an accident. Top two on our list are the forthcoming plug-in hybrid versions of the Ford Escape SUV and the Prius.

    We’re hoping that both those vehicles will be assembled in the USA, too. The plug-in hybrid Escape will probably be made in Kansas City, Missouri, like the “regular” hybrid Escape. The plug-in hybrid Prius may be assembled at Toyota’s recently-built plant in Mississippi.

  • http://GlobalPatriot.com Global Patriot

    Enlightening to see so many hybrid designs, and with San Diego set to receive charging stations for electric cars we continue to make progress on the auto front.

  • http://GlobalPatriot.com Global Patriot

    Enlightening to see so many hybrid designs, and with San Diego set to receive charging stations for electric cars we continue to make progress on the auto front.