fashion.psfk at the LA Auto Show part 1

This year fashion.psfk went to check out the LA Auto Show, hoping to see lots of exciting new concepts and ideas. Having been invited to the event by General Motors, who kindly paid for our travel and accommodation, we were impressed that this 1ooth anniversary of the show was focussed on the theme of sustainability and alternative energy.

The show opened with a press talk by GM CEO Rick Wagoner who spoke about the auto trade’s commitment to alternative fuels, talking about Energy Diversity and the need to use multiple fuel sources. GM and it’s fellow domestic auto companies Ford and DaimlerChrysler are making a major commitment to ethanol based cars, claiming that by 2012 half of all their car production will be flex fuel/ alternative fuel based- providing there is sufficient national availability of the E-85 Ethanol fuel.

GM then announced that within the next three years their Hummer brand will have ethanol- based bio fuel options across the whole line-up.

Also committed to developing more than fuel cell hybrids, GM is looking towards electric ‘plug-in’ hybrids. The Saturn Vue Green Line, announced during the speech and due in 2008, is a hybrid vehicle that will be the launch platform for plug-in hybrids, which they have already begun work on. GM claim that by 2009 their Green Line will offer fully electric hybrid systems.

In a further announcement about research into hydrogen concept vehicles GM revealed that next year they will launch 100 Chevy Equinox fuel cell SUV’s as a test fleet, with 50 of these being in Los Angeles.

Most interesting were Mr Wagoner’s comments about producing cars that are powered by electricity from locally generated fuel sources; natural gas, coal, nuclear, wind, hydroelectric etc.

It all sounds very impressive, and GM are obviously keen to lead the market in ecologically friendly technologies- which with the growing demand for greener lifestyles should definitely help grow their customer base. Unfortunately whilst GM are pushing the boundaries under the bonnet, the design teams are still playing it too safe. Rick Wagoner stated that the company is “committed to leading in both technology and design”, but on aesthetics at least they still have a long way to go to achieve this.

more to come…