North American International Auto Show North American International Auto Show North American International Auto Show --- 201120112011

• The 2011 Detroit Auto Show featured electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles from practically every exhibitor there. Besides the existing entrants like Nissan and General Motors, all the majors had electrics on display.

• GM CEO Dan Akerson announced GM would have an EV for every brand. Ford made equal noise about EVs, running an electric banner across the Cobo Center promoting multiple EVs, PHEVs and HEVs.

• The displays gave the impression that buyers could walk into a showroom anywhere in the US and walk out with an EV.

Notes from the ShowNotes from the ShowNotes from the Show………

Nissan displayed its all-electric Leaf only in a press booth and had no display on the showroom floor. Carlos Ghosn, Nissan CEO, expects to sell 1 million Leafs in the first six years.

Ford prominently displayed and promoted electric vehicles to the industry and investors. Its electric banner running above the Cobo Center entrance promoted multiple EVs, PHEVs and HEVs.

On the show floor during the Tuesday preview, Ford outlined its electric strategy before a crowd of institutional investors . Ford’s strategy includes the Transit Connect van, an EV and PHEV.

Ford displayed the liquid-cooled lithium battery it expects to use in its vehicles, designed and produced by LG. Like the Leaf, the Focus EV has a 24Kwh battery.

The heart of Ford’s consumer strategy is the all-electric focus, said to be available late 2011.

The Ford Focus EV will have a 100-mph range, the same as the Nissan Leaf. Pricing was unavailable at the Ford display.

The Ford Focus EV is comparable in size to the EV with a more conventional design.

General Motors heavily promoted the Volt, the North American Car of the Year - along with the Leaf one of two electric drive vehicles now available from a major auto manufacturer.

GM calls the Volt’s configuration extended range drive. The car can be plugged into an outlet and recharged overnight. It runs on an electric drive, but has a 4-cylinder gasoline engine to recharge the Li-ion battery when it is depleted.

GM CEO Dan Akerson told Deutsche Bank investors that the car was a prime example of GM’s product innovation, which he called the key to GMs future.

The Audi A6, gas and hybrid versions, were the heart of the company’s display.

Along with its new gas powered A6 models, Audi unveiled an A6 hybrid version. The car features a lithium-ion battery and is expected to be available later this year with front-wheel drive and a 38 mph mileage rating. The gas powered versions of the A6 sell in the $50,000 range.

Mercedes prominently displayed its SLS AMG gullwing sports car inside and outside the show. The gas powered version, a recreation of the 1950s gullwing, carries a price tag in the $180,000 range.

Mercedes also displayed an all-electric version of the SLS AMG with an electric yellow paint job. The EV version of the SLS is supposed to match the gas version in performance, at likely triple the price of the gas version.

The gullwing SLS AMG EV is likely to cost half a million dollars.

Tesla displayed its all-electric sports car in addition to a chassis, body and drive train for its future sedan. Tesla will end production of the sports car when it introduces the sedan.

The Tesla EV sedan has a liquid cooled-lithium-ion battery (visible beneath the body). The base version of the sedan will sell in the $50,000 range with a 42kWh battery providing a 160 mile rang. At the show Tesla said it will offer optional battery packs of 65kWh and 85kWh, to extend the range to 230 and 300 miles respectively.

The Tesla EV sedan has compact electric drive between the rear wheels.

BMW, perhaps the most conservative of the German luxury car makers displayed its Activehybrid 7, a mild hybrid meant to preserve the performance of 7-series BMWs with $100,000+ pricetag.

Even Honda, which has taken a very conservative position on EVs, displayed its own EV.

BYD displayed its inexpensive EVs. Clearly designed for the Chinese market, the cars had a less expensive fit and finish than the American models on display.

Bentley relied on the appeal of traditional gasoline power for its luxury Flying Spur sedan.

Ferrari also stuck with its traditional appeal.