| For Immediate Release May 15, 2001 |
Contact: Eron Shosteck, (202) 326-5501 |
Washington, D.C. — The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers today unveiled "Advanced Technology Vehicles Take to the Road," a 20-page primer detailing Alliance member company high-technology developmental and production vehicles.
"The visionary vehicles highlighted in this booklet will give consumers a better idea of what kinds of hybrid electric, natural gas, electric and fuel cell vehicles are available to them now, or will be soon," said Alliance President & CEO Josephine S. Cooper. "The vehicles featured in the primer add to the more than 70 models already on the market that have fuel economy over 30 miles per gallon. And the primer has some dazzling photos that will really turn your head."
The emergence of advanced technology vehicles offers an opportunity to significantly increase vehicle fuel economy without sacrificing safety, passenger and cargo room, towing capacity, performance and other features that consumers demand.
"Bringing the cars of the future to consumers does not come without significant challenges," Cooper continued. "The cost of advanced technology vehicles is considerably higher than the same vehicle powered by conventional combustion engines. That's why we support consumer tax incentives to help offset the initial higher costs until more advancements and greater volumes make these vehicles less expensive to produce."
Manufacturers are developing advanced engine technologies - such as lean burn, compression ignition, direct injection, hybrids and fuel cells - that could dramatically increase fuel economy for passenger cars and light trucks in the future. (Visit www.autoalliance.org/technology.htm to see these vehicles.)
Alliance member companies spent more than $18 billion on research and development in 1997 alone. The National Science Foundation recently ranked the auto industry first in investments in research and development, ahead of pharmaceuticals and even the large computer industry.
The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers is a coalition of 13 companies whose vehicles represent 90 percent of U.S. automobile sales.
Mazda · Mitsubishi Motors · Nissan · Porsche · Toyota · Volkswagen · Volvo
1401 H Street, N.W. Suite 900 · Washington, D.C. 20005 · Tel: (202) 326-5523 · Fax: (202) 326-5598