Green cars will again be the highlight of the New York International Auto Show, which opens Friday following press previews on Wednesday and Thursday.
Highlights include further details on the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf electric cars, a 40 mpg Chevrolet Cruze Eco, and plenty of hybrids. The show is at New York’s Javits Center and runs through Sunday, April 11. It’s the last of the major U.S. auto shows, which began last fall in Los Angeles and worked their way through Detroit (January) and Chicago (February).
What will be on display?
Chevrolet Volt: The Volt has been announced and discussed for two years. General Motors brought a drivable, close-to-production-level car for a handful of media test drives. It’s due to launch this fall, GM says, and uses a large battery pack for about 30 miles of electric driving, plus a small gasoline engine for longer trips and/or to recharge the battery, although wall charging is more efficient. The big question will be actual, real-world range when used by customers.
Nissan LEAF: Nissan this week pre-announced (in advance of the auto show press conference) the pricing that could be as low as $20,000 after you factor in federal and state tax credits. (Thank you, taxpayers.) The base price will be $32,780 or a 36-month $349 lease ($2000 down). There’s a federal tax credit of $7,500 and tax credits from some states of up to $6,000 (Colorado). Nissan also announced a 220-volt garage recharging option for $2,200 that cuts refueling time from overnight to a couple hours. It’s due to ship in December.
Chevrolet Cruze Eco: It should get 40 mpg (highway) when it arrives this fall and it’s done without costly hybrid technology. But there are a couple tricks such as a shutter in the front grille that closes at 37 mph and higher for slightly better aerodynamics and fuel efficiency. Power on the eco model comes from a 1.4-liter turbocharged engine that gets 138 hp.
