Automakers gear up for a green Christmas

Paul A. Eisenstein, NBC News contribution
If the upcoming L.A. auto show are any indication, American motorists for a green holiday season.

A preliminary estimate shows more than 50 new cars, trucks and crossovers make their debut during the annual event that first big U.S. car of the year 2013 show model.

A considerable part of these new models are battery-based, including everything from conventional hybrids to pure battery-electric vehicles. But the L.A. show will become further always environmentally friendly also it out like conventional gasoline Powertrain technology.

Among the most important debuts in Los Angeles announced Honda will be its first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, insert the accord PHEV.

Ford offers a few own plugins, the fusion of Energi sedan and the C-Max Energi "People Mover."

The list of pure battery-electric vehicles, or BEVs, the new Fiat contains 500e and the Chevrolet spark EV, General Motors first fully electrified model since it from production shortly before the turn of the new Millennium EV1 drawn.

During a recent session of two-day media background showed GM some ambitious plans for the electrification programme - which began with the December 2010 launch of the Chevrolet will Volt plug ins, and that soon the spark-EV and the upcoming Cadillac ELR plug-in. All in all hopes of the producers to sell 500,000 battery-based vehicles between now and 2017.

"An important role in our technology portfolio plug-in based solutions going forward, will play," Development Director Mary Barra said global product.

Nissan may be even more ambitious. Before the end of the decade it will be to sell annually more than 500,000 battery-based vehicles, the Nissan leaf battery-electric vehicle to connect with products including the planned Infiniti LE the Chevy Volt showrooms met at about the same time in life called.

In turn the fusion and C-Max Energi plug-in be-in the part of a wave of eight advanced battery-powered vehicles, Ford plans in the next few years, according to Ken Czubay, Vice President of the manufacturer's U.S. marketing, sales and service.

But not everyone is so optimistic. Even though he will try during a smile to the debut of the 500e, Fiat/Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne has dubbed battery cars 'economic lemons,"a reference to the reality, the underlying technology is so expensive manufacturers have to absorb a significant portion of the price tag, to attract consumers.

By some estimates the current crop works of BEVs and PHEVs cost at least $10,000 more produce than they for - before a buyer sell in available federal and tax credits.

And even then a new study by J.D. power and Associates warns that "A very small part of the U.S. market remains electric cars if automakers can demonstrate rates lower and the economic benefits to consumers."

No wonder that the brand new Honda fit EV and Toyota RAV4-EV models, the in L.A. displayed will be sold only at a limited number of California authorized dealer for at least the next few years. Critics mock these offers as "match car," built just to meet strict zero emission vehicle, or ZEV, adopted by the California Air Resources Board, demanding mandates.

"Nobody wants to be locked out of the California market", John Mendel, the American executives at Honda, grants to one of the most important decision makers meet the ZEV rules.

Ironically is the Los Angeles Auto show even skeptics give the possibility to promote alternative battery disconnect. The new Dodge Dart Aero model comes close to the fuel efficiency of the comparatively large hybrids, note the organisers of the annual green car of the year award, which has been announced during the days of the media at the LA show.

The new Mazda CX-5 SkyActiv crossover will be also in the dispute, a different model, where the latest breakthroughs in conventional gas power is based.

And the Ford Fusion was named finalist as much for its modern, gas-powered EcoBoost engine for its hybrid and plug-in hybrid options. Only the new Toyota Prius C and Ford C-Max models, among the five finalists are solely battery-based.

The green car of the year award several times awarded in particular diesel. And past winner Audi car brings four new diesel on the LA show this year including high performance versions of its Q5, A6, A7 and A8 models. Next year rolls set to start, they are expected to provide hybrid-like fuel economy ", but without sacrificing performance" Audi of America announced President Scott Keogh.

While Californians might think their State as the greenest in the country, is the reality that they know to appreciate muscle. According to Mercedes-Benz sold whopping 25 percent of the manufacturers of high-performance AMG models in Southern California.

So, no surprise planned, in which several Debuts from the German manufacturer, which it will reveal the which ever has built the fastest production car the 622-PS SLS AMG Black series. (At the moment Mercedes committed not yet a battery-powered version of the 2-seater, the SLS E-cell, onto the U.S. market.)

New high-performance products show Bentley, Jaguar and Porsche in the LA Convention Center. But these days, one can be mean and green. Or at least, green. The new Porsche Carrera 4S get better fuel economy than the outgoing model a large bump in horsepower - also during the deployment of approximately 15%.

And BMW brings LA a version of its upcoming i8 plug-in, the first in a new line of sporty, battery-based vehicles that the battery-electric city car i3 is specified.

The LA Auto show has a tradition of focusing on green technology. But California itself has a history of the trends to sweep that finally in the rest of America. So what, at the Los Angeles Convention Center will see you nor this month likely to influence, what you drive, where you live in the coming years.