2008 WAS Media Day Spotlights Green Technology As Industry Leaders Tout “New Era”

WAS Media Day Spotlights Green Technology As Industry Leaders Tout –New Era”

The 2008 Washington Auto Show (WAS) launched in grand style with International Media Day, Tuesday, January 22, which drew large numbers of reporters to a strong lineup of advanced technology vehicles and exhibits and notables speaking about them. Reference to –green” technology and varied forms of it resonated throughout the day. This was understandable in Washington, where Congress recently mandated a 40 percent increase in fuel efficiency, with industry and elected leaders alike referring to the –new era” in automotive design driven by alternative, clean fuel.

The Congressional Charity Preview and Gala followed Media Day with a host of Washingtonians on hand who together raised significant money for a variety of charitable organizations.

Mark LaNeve, vice president of sales, service and marketing for General Motors, was the speaker for the luncheon, sponsored by the Washington Automotive Press Association (WAPA). LaNeve emphasized the many advances and product successes GM has scored since his last visit with WAPA, stating, –we are shifting our focus from turnaround to winning and weêre getting our mojo back. GM is developing and building products that can compete with anybody.”

The challenge for GM, he said, is for public perceptions to catch up with reality. Few are aware, he added, that the company already sells 15 models that get more than 30 mpg.

–GM understands there is no free lunch and no silver bullet with respect to greenhouse gases and fuel economy,” said LaNeve. He predicted innovation across different fronts at GM, including improvements in current engine design, more alternative fuels, — like E85 ethanol, – more hybrids and plug-in technology. LeNeve enthusiastically described the recently announced GM partnership with Coskata, Inc., the biology-based renewable energy company with its technology for liquid fuels and cellulosic ethanol that could become pathways to oil independence.

In a separate presentation, LaNeve presented the keys to two Chevrolet Equinox electric vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells to D.C. area drivers, Tom Albert of Alexandria, Va., and Nick Williams of Washington D.C., as part of GMês –Project Driveway.” The program is the largest market test of its kind, involving more than 100 fuel cell vehicles driven by ordinary citizens in Los Angeles, New York and Washington. –What we learn from Project Driveway will help us make certain that fuel cells and other technologies can withstand the rigors of commuting and family demands,” he said.

–The auto industry is embarking on a massive transformation or new era where advanced technology will radically alter the landscape. We are going to live in a whole new world and GM will lead the way,” LaNeve concluded.

Jim Press, vice chairman and president of Chrysler LLC, said he was happy to be at the –sunrise of a new career” with a –new, privately funded auto giant.” Chrysler LLC has the –bones of a really good company” with the –engineering capability and passion” to compete and succeed. He pointed out that Chrysler was the only domestic company that maintained market share in 2007 and actually showed growth in December.

Press said the companyês future success will come from its dealers, who he praised as –the strongest in the industry,” tested by the ups and downs of the company. –Iêve always thought the strongest steel came from the hottest fire, and our dealers have that,” he said.

Press noted the runaway success of the Dodge Challenger, which sold out within 2 weeks, and the introduction of the 2009 Ram pickup powered by a 300 horsepower, 5.7 liter Hemi engine, which he said gets 5 percent better gas mileage. He noted, too, that there will be a Ram hybrid in 2010 that will achieve the same mileage as a mid-sized car. An Aspen hybrid will be available before the end of the year, Press said.

In the long term, the U.S. auto business looks strong to Press. –Structurally, the economy is really strong. We are creating jobs, corporate earnings are good and weêre increasing productivity through technology. Salaries have gone up and car costs have gone down, which is great. On the other hand, the housing situation, the cost of fuel and the credit situation is driving down consumer confidence,” he said. –What we need to do is stress whatês good.”

Press acknowledged that 2008 was going to be a challenge, however, but at the same time it will give the industry a chance –to show how good we really are.”. –Iêm confident that this new Chrysler Corporation has legs and the ability to compete with the global best.”

Sue Cischke, senior vice president of Environment and Safety Engineering for Ford Motor Company announced that Ford is making flex-fuel versions of three of its 2009 model vehicles the E-Series Van, Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator. Later this year, she said, –Ford will launch two new hybrid sedans, the Ford Fusion and the Mercury Milan, bringing Fordês hybrid fleet to five vehicles.” In 2010, the automaker will launch a new small car based on the Verve concept.

Ford also is testing 30 fuel cells on the road in the U.S. and Canada and has delivered a 20 vehicle fleet of plug-in fuel cells to Southern California Edison to test the technology and infrastructure needed to commercialize plug-in hybrids. Cischke pointed out that the U.S. Department of Energy has pledged up to $30 million to develop plug-in hybrids but that lithium ion batteries remain the stumbling block. –DOE estimates that if every light car and truck used electricity they could be refueled without having to build any new power plants,” she said.

National Security Concerns

The Department of Energy (DOE) rolled out a sobering presentation on national security with former CIA Director James Woolsey and retired Marine Commandant P. X. Kelly. Both stressed that oil dependency is a –clear and present danger” to national security. In a panel hosted by Andy Karsner, assistant secretary at DOE for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Woolsey said –the U.S. must eliminate oil as a strategic commodity.”

America needs to do with oil what refrigeration did to salt, he said. The only way to preserve meat years ago was with salt and countries fought wars about it until the end of the 19th Century. –The surest way to eliminate oil dependency is with plug-in hybrids because of the relatively low cost of electricity versus gasoline.”

Kelly echoed Woolsey and reminded the audience that in 1972 America made the greatest transfer of wealth in U.S. history because of oil.

Karsner said the auto industry must act with –a sense of urgency” in the face of global warming and the security threat of oil dependency. –This was the one time in the past 30 years that the U.S. has imported less oil than the year before,” he said. He then introduced the fueleconomy.gov/m website designed to give consumers specific information on fuel economy ratings for all cars and light trucks sold since 1985.

Enhanced Vehicle Safety

In a breakfast presentation sponsored by Toyota, Mark Rosenker, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), called for increased industry focus on safety technology to prevent collisions and highway injuries. Referring to the increased use of telematics and wireless locator services, such as GMês OnStar, he said –such services hold promise for reducing the number of accident-related fatalities by decreasing response times.

In addition to vehicle-based systems, road-based systems are being incorporated into the highway infrastructure to provide drivers with real-time information of weather and road conditions. “The auto industry is moving beyond crash mitigation and into a new era where technology will help us prevent accidents,” said Rosenker.