The Detroit Auto Show kicks off this week, and the name of the game is green. CBC News reports that the new mantra on the showroom floor seems to be, “if we build it green, the buyers will come.” This is a marked departure from last year’s auto show, where the mantra was basically, “hold one for a bumpy ride and empty your wallet at the door, please.”
Reports are that the mood is optimistic inside the Cobo Centre in Detroit. However, outside the convention center things are contentious. A small gathering of United Auto Workers rallied Monday outside the building to remind lawmakers of the need for further support for the industry. Tea Party protesters loudly demanded an end to taxpayer-funded auto bailouts. No word on what kind of car the Tea Party protestors are driving – are anti-government-ers green?
Doug Fox is an Ann Arbor car dealer who told CBC News, "Last year we had that 'sky-is-falling' mentality, and everybody was running for cover." But that seems to have all changed for 2010. Fox further states, “We are seeing a little more investment made in the actual exhibits than last year."
What’s more, Americans’ infamous love of gas guzzlers seems to be waning. There are much more efficient cars debuting in Detroit, which shows how much the industry is facing. Reports are that much of what is on display this year “tends toward the lean and green, as electric, hybrid and small cars take centre stage.”
And what is the coolest green car everyone is waiting for? That would be the launch of the Chevrolet Volt. This will be the first mainstream electric car on the market. When it goes on sale in November, it will sport a $40,000 US price tag. Considering that’s the price of most Hummers, one wonders if there will be some sort of eco-face off down the road. My money is on the car that doesn’t require $5 a gallon to power it.
But things aren’t all rainbows and sunshine at the Detroit Auto Show. For the first time last year, China surpassed the United States as the world's largest auto market. (Reports are that, unlike recent years, there are no Chinese automakers are on hand in Detroit this week.) Dennis DesRosiers told CBC News that sinking North American car sales during the disastrous economic year of 2009 might be understandable. But the industry needs to turn that trend around, and quick. Further, "the serious concern is whether it continues into a second or third year…if this continues into a third or fourth year, this is what we call the nightmare scenario."
Want to know more about the eco-friendliness of car companies? Check out Greenopia’s recently released guide to green car companies for 2010.
Photo: The Chevy Volt
Article provided by Greenopia http://ow.ly/W9GI
No comments:
Post a Comment