The LA Auto Show opened Friday at the Los Angeles Convention Center and will be running through Thanksgiving weekend (November 25).
I have this dream that I might someday live in a “real” city. You know, one with a vibrant center and convenient, reliable transportation. Where people walk and meet each other in the street and go for coffee and drinks and gallery showings. You know, a city like London, Paris, New York or even San Francisco.
This is how much I hate to drive in Los Angeles these days.
This is a city that grew with the automobile and we have the sprawl to prove it. People say that Angelenos are in love with their cars. I say it’s more a factor of the time we have to spend behind the wheel. My car is like a second house to me. If you are chalking up hours of driving time, you’re going to want your vehicle to have all the comforts of home.
SoCal residents know we have an energy problem. We don’t like the hit that gas prices have made in our pocketbooks. We don’t like the fact that our dependence on foreign oil is a drain on our national economy, not to mention our national security. We know we have to change. But it ain’t about to happen any time soon. That may be partially due to an inherent optimism that permeates this place, an attitude of “someone will invent a solution.” So in the meantime, we go about our business.
This year’s Los Angeles Auto Show reflected those dual attitudes. As always, there were throngs of people ogling the high performance, ultra luxury and exotic cars that are the hallmark of this kind of event. But the stars of this year’s show were new energy efficient models offered by nearly every car maker represented.
A couple of months ago, I was privileged to be part of a meeting with General Motors Vice Chairman Bob Lutz, who talked about the steps his company has been taking to meet the country’s energy challenge. I walked away feeling impressed by the 30 different GM models that get 30 or more miles per gallon, the number of hybrids they’re manufacturing (one of which, the Chevy Tahoe, was just named “Green Car of the Year”), and the new technologies they are working with: flex-fuel vehicles where you can use either gas or ethanol, hydrogen fuel cells (which are about to benefit from some major consumer testing) and the plug-in Volt.
The L.A. Auto Show was my chance to see what the other guys are offering and I wasn’t disappointed.
The first thing we saw as we entered the Convention Center was the display announcing the US debut of the Smart Car, an automobile so tiny it looks like a toy.
We've been seeing these babies on the road in the United Kingdom for years now, and I've always been intrigued by them. While the Smart Car would not be a practical "MomMobile," I think they make perfect sense for a commuter who cannot take public transportation or carpool, or for city driving (they don't take much parking space).
"You must be joking," my husband huffed. "Can you imagine one of those things on one of our freeways? With all the SUV's? You would get crushed."
He has a point. The Smart Car website touts its many safety features, but I wonder if they were tested under driving conditions in the States. Europe has a lot fewer large, heavy vehicles.
I was pleased to see the number of hybrids displayed at this year's show. When I was shopping for my current car, there weren't too many to choose from and so went for safety (I got a Volvo) instead of energy savings. It will be a whole different ballgame when my lease expires in 2009. In addition to hybrid offerings by Toyota, Honda and GM, I can also test drive the hybrid Ford Escape, a Nissan Altima, hemi-hybrid Chrysler Aspen and Dodge Durango, and probably a lot more.
In a way, the hybrids are old news. The real excitement at the show was in the emergence of new technologies. There were quite a few hydrogen fuel cell vehicles on display, including Toyota's FCHV and a hydrogen-powered BMW 7-series coupe.
I was most excited to see Honda's entry into the hydrogen fuel cell arena, mainly because their new FCX Clarity will be the first such vehicle actually on sale in SoCal, early next year. If you are fortunate enough to live or work near the three existing fueling stations (one each in Santa Monica, Torrance and Irvine), you may be interested in leasing this beauty for $600 per month. Yes, that sounds like a lot of money, but when you factor in the included insurance and maintenance, it doesn't sound so bad. (Not sure what the cost will be for the hydrogen fuel, either.)
Honda is also offering a Civic powered by compressed natural gas, which is another limited resource but one that burns cleanly. Honda's system includes a home refueling station, so Civic NGV owners can refill overnight in their very own garages.
See the rest of my L.A. Auto Show photos on Flickr. Or get into your own car, grab $10 admission and see for yourself!
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