One of the standing jokes about the Big Three automakers is that the Car of Tomorrow always seems to be coming … tomorrow. Even Japan can fall into that trap. Honda led early in hybrids and is now having to play catch-up to Toyota’s Prius.
So it’s heartening to see all the electric hopefuls who see a clear need in the market for urban commuters. You have the Tesla Motors entry, a performance car. The Zap Xebra is on sale now. Miles Automotive is bringing Chinese made electrics into the United States, including in 2008 a mid-size model capable of 80 mph and with a 120-mile range.
This has prompted some serious, although seriously late, reactions from the bigger auto makers, whose financial clout and dealer relationships are absolutely necessary (as is consumer acceptance) to get the electric/hybrid market really cooking. Chrysler, which has extremely little left to lose in terms of prestige, has opened an alternative car arm it calls ENVI, for environmental. Hyundai just showed its crossover concept i-Blue.
One wonders who in the this race will be the Toyota, the company that got it right and then bit down in time to gain the upper hand, image-wise? Who knows, it might even be GM’s Chevy Volt (above). If we keeping seeing $3 a gallon gas, all bets are off.
