Volvo's Electric C30 car is presented during the second press preview day of the 2010 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) at Cobo center in Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A., Jan. 12, 2010.(Xinhua/Zhang Jun) Photo Gallery>>>

    by Hu Guangyao and Liu Lina

    DTROIT, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- The 2010 North America International Auto Show (NAIAS) at the U.S. auto city of Detroit is a lot smaller and greener as the industry adapts to a world reshaped by recession and environmental worries.

    In the 39,000-square-foot showroom of the COBO Center at deep heart of Detroit, the global automotive community comes together to catch up on the latest with 60 new vehicle premieres.

    Electric, hybrid and small cars have grabbed center stage at the auto show this week. Some global automotive companies unveiled new electric and hybrid cars at the auto show as car companies battle for green leadership and strive to meet stringent new fuel economy and emission requirements later this decade.

The plug-in of Toyota's Prius Hybrid concept is seen during the second press preview day of the 2010 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) at Cobo center in Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A., Jan. 12, 2010. (Xinhua/Zhang Jun) Photo Gallery>>>

    Toyota Motor Corp. announced here it plans to expand the Prius into a family of vehicles with cars both smaller and larger than its flagship hybrid. The Japanese company unveiled a concept car called the FT-CH, a vehicle about 500 millimeters shorter than the Prius that is to become a model on the road within three years.

    German carmaker Volkswagen AG unveiled a concept car code-named the New Compact Coupe that combines a hybrid motor with a turbocharged, 1.4-liter engine. The company believed this hybrid model will be on the road this spring.

    Japanese carmaker Honda Motor Co. Ltd., also unveiled at the auto show a hybrid sports coupe, the new CR-Z which will go on sale in the U.S. market this summer.

Lexus's LF-Ch hybrid concept car is presented during the second press preview day of the 2010 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) at Cobo center in Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A., Jan. 12, 2010. (Xinhua/Zhang Jun) Photo Gallery>>>

    The hybrid version of Ford Motor Co.'s Fusion sedan won car of the year at the annual Detroit show. According to Mark Fields, the president of Ford, the new Ford Fusion Hybrid Sedan will be competitive among the other all-electric vehicles.

    Ford Motor Co's Alan Mulally stated positively that "the efficiencies generated by our new global C-car platform will enable us to provide Ford Focus customers with an affordable product offering quality, fuel efficiency, safety and technology beyond their expectations."

    The South Korean carmaker Hyundai, which aims to extend last year's triumph in budget-conscious models, has displayed a number of small-size electric cars at the auto show this year.

A boy experiences driving the Ford's Fusion hybrid car during the second press preview day of the 2010 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) at Cobo center in Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A., Jan. 12, 2010. (Xinhua/Zhang Jun) Photo Gallery>>>

    U.S. automakers GM and Chrysler also vowed to start fresh with electric vehicles but also try to boost their small-car credibility.

    Meanwhile, Chinese electric carmaker Build Your Dream (BYD), bent on becoming one of the world's largest automakers, launched a series of ambitious projects that it hopes its electric cars will reach the streets before larger, well-established carmakers.

Hyundai's Blue-will hybrid concept car is presented during the second press preview day of the 2010 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) at Cobo center in Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A., Jan. 12, 2010. (Xinhua/Zhang Jun) Photo Gallery>>>

    At the Detroit Auto Show, BYD stepped onto center stage with plenty of interesting product, including the world's first dual-mode plug-in hybrid. BYD's F3DM and e6 which debuted at last NAIAS in Detroit, were brought to this year's Detroit auto show again.

    The Chinese electric cars have attracted thousands of visitors and reporters at the auto show. BYD Chairman and President Wang Chuanfu told Xinhua that both vehicles could hit the American and other foreign markets by 2011.

    Analysts here said the abundance of hybrid, electric and other environmentally friendly vehicles shows the auto industry believes it must meet stringent fuel economy goals through technology.

General Motors's Cadillac XTS Platinum Concept plug-in hybrid is unveiled during the second press preview day of the 2010 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) at Cobo center in Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A., Jan. 12, 2010.(Xinhua/Zhang Jun) Photo Gallery>>>

U.S. automaker GM plans to build plug-in hybrid next year 

    DETROIT, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- U.S. automaker General Motors Co. plans to build a plug-in hybrid, but probably not until 2011, the company's Vice Chairman Bob Lutz told reporters at North America International Auto Show (NAIAS) on Tuesday.

    GM unveiled a concept plug-in hybrid Cadillac XTS platinum at the auto show. Full story

Japanese automaker Subaru unveils new version of SUV 

    DETROIT, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- Subaru of America, Inc. unveiled new versions of its top-selling Forester compact crossover SUV Tuesday at the 2010 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS),which runs January 11-24 in the U.S. auto city of Detroit.

    The Forester was Subaru's top-selling model in 2009, with 77,781 sold, a 28-percent increase over 2008.Full story

U.S. automaker Ford unveils new Lincoln MKX SUV at NAIAS 

    DETROIT, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- U.S. automaker Ford Motor Co. unveiled the new Lincoln MKX SUV Tuesday morning at the 2010 North America International Auto Show (NAIAS) in the U.S. auto city of Detroit.

    Ford's executive chairman Bill Ford told reporters that Lincoln MKX SUV will lead the way for the introduction of My Lincoln Touch instrument panel technology which will digitalize many of the basic controls of the car. Full story

U.S. automaker Cadillac unveils XTS Platinum Concept

Bryan Nesbitt, Cadillac General Manager, introduces the new Cadillac XTS Platinum Concept plug-in hybrid during the second press preview day of the 2010 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) at Cobo center in Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A., Jan. 12, 2010.(Xinhua/Zhang Jun) Photo Gallery>>>

    DETROIT, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- U.S. automaker Cadillac unveiled the XTS Platinum Concept at the 2010 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) on Tuesday, suggesting a new paradigm for the luxury sedan of the future.

    The concept showcases Cadillac's emerging top-of-the-line Platinum series of models, emphasizing new expressions of luxury and technological features, including a plug-in hybrid propulsion system. Full story

GM hopes to be profitable in 2010

    Detroit, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- U.S. automaker GM, which exited bankruptcy in June last year, will repay the loans to the U.S. government by mid this year and will be profitable in 2010, GM leaders said at the North America International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit on Monday.

    In an exclusive interview with Xinhua just after the opening ceremony of the auto show at the COBO Center in downtown Detroit, Tim Lee, president of GM International Operation (GMIO) said he is confident that GM will come back soon. Full story

GM announces more electric car markets to open in U.S.

    DETROIT, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- The major U.S. automaker GM announced Monday at the North America International Auto Show (NAIAS) that two U.S. states will launch markets for its Volt extended-range electric car.

    Chevrolet boss Jim Campbell told reporters in Detroit that Michigan will join California as launch markets for the Volt extended-range electric car, which goes on sale late this year. Full story 
 

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