DRIVECLEAN.CA.GOV - Upcoming Low Emission Vehicles

Kia Spectra

About 2,300 pounds of carbon equivalent per person (16% of our individual greenhouse gas emissions) are released to the atmosphere through our use of personal transportation every year.


	2008 Volkswagen Jetta Bluetec TDI Diesel Amid the looming hordes of European luxury automakers planning a North American compression-ignition invasion in the next couple years, humble Volkswagen has announced its plans to return the Jetta TDI to the diesel dogpile in the spring of 2008. Powered by a new 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 140 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque, and either a six-speed manual or DSG automated manual transmission, the 2008 Jetta TDI will be cleared for sale in all fifty states. Some of the earlier diesels to make it to our shores over the next few years will only be available in 45 states; California, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, and Vermont have all adopted stricter emissions regulations for diesels that bar some vehicles from entry. Using technology developed under the BlueTec cooperative formed by Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen, the Jetta TDI will slip by these stricter regulations without resorting to a urea-based exhaust treatment, as many BlueTec labeled models will.

	2008 Volkswagen Tiguan Compact SUV Volkswagen's Concept Tiguan is very close to what the company will put into production as a 2008 model. Ignore the concept's oversized 275/45 tiger-striped tires and showy panoramic roof, and you're looking at VW's next five-passenger compact SUV. At 173.2 inches, the Concept Tiguan is identical in length to the Jeep Compass, but is nearly 5 inches narrower. With a split-folding rear seat, it can still swallow your 8-foot-long surfboard inside. Addressing America's cries for SUVs with higher fuel-efficiency, Volkswagen incorporated its upcoming next-generation "Clean TDI" engine. This engine is one of the first non-Mercedes applications of the Bluetec exhaust aftertreatment lovefest among automakers Audi, Benz and VW. Rather than jumping on the hybrid bandwagon, the three German automakers are banding together to make the Bluetec label a general description for modern diesels that meet U.S. emission standards. This vehicle is scheduled to be released fall of 2007.

	2008-2009 Toyota Prius Gen 3 Hybrid The next generation Toyota Prius is going to be significantly redesigned, may be built in the United States, and while Toyota officials have confirmed that the new design will not be a plug-in hybrid, a Guardian news article quoted Shinichi Abe, head of Toyota’s hybrid division as saying that the next Prius model will be able to do a nine-mile commute to work without using any petrol or diesel, and rumors persist of a plug-in possibility, especially now that GM has announced plans for a plug-in Vue. Auto Express magazine in the UK reported in December 2006 that Toyota engineers are targeting an mileage rating of 113 mpg (other rumors have it more in the 70-90 mpg range), with improved 0-60 mph acceleration of less than 10 seconds. The internal combustion part of the drive train is reported to be a new turbocharged 1.8L lean burn four cylinder. Estimated release date in 2008.

	2008 BMW 7-Series Hydrogen BMW has announced it will begin trials of a new 6.0-liter V12 gasoline-hydrogen-powered version of the 7 Series next year. This is a continuation of the automaker's CleanEnergy program that aims at widespread sales of hydrogen-powered BMW models by the start of the next decade. The new car, dubbed "Hydrogen 7" and set for public debut at the Los Angeles auto show in late November, will be available to selected customers in North America, Europe and Japan on a rental basis. The Hydrogen 7 will get a price comparable to that of today's 760iL, on which is it based, according to officials from the German carmaker. Initial volumes will be limited to about 100 cars, although BMW executives are not counting out the possibility of more if demand should outstrip supply. Previous trials of hydrogen-powered BMW models have all been carried out in-house. The Hydrogen 7 is powered by a reworked version of BMW's 6.0-liter V12 engine producing 260 hp and 288 pound-feet of torque. That's enough to provide 0-to-62-mph acceleration in 9.5 seconds and a 143-mph top speed on both hydrogen and gasoline. The cruising range is put at 125 miles in hydrogen mode, with a further 300 miles in gasoline guise. In hydrogen mode, the reworked 7 Series is emissions-free, producing nothing more than water vapor from its tailpipe. The hydrogen is stored in a 2.1-gallon tank with a double-wall structure consisting of stainless-steel plates and a vacuum layer to address safety fears. The Hydrogen 7 will be produced alongside other BMW 5, 6 and 7 Series models at the company's Dingolfing plant in Munich.

	2008 - 2009 Toyota Sienna Hybrid The Toyota Sienna Hybrid is likely to be the first hybrid minivan on the market. Sienna hybrid will be based on the smaller Estima minivan currently sold only in Japan. Toyota is unlikely to make the estimated 40mpg Estima available in the U.S. for fear of brand competition with the larger Sienna. The Sienna Hybrid is expected to be released sometime 2008-2009.

	2008-2009 Porsche Cayenne Hybrid At the 2005 Frankfurt Auto Show, Porsche reps said that their full hybrid system will maintain the performance of the conventional Cayenne while cutting fuel consumption by 15 percent. The vehicle is expected to be released sometime 2008-2009.

	2008 / '09 Porsche Panamera Hybrid Porsche's new four-door hatchback coupe scheduled for launch in 2008 or 2009 will be designed from the start with the option of a hybrid engine. Using similar "muscular" engine technology to the Cayenne SUV, the V10 to V12 engines will be supplied by the Stuttgart- Zuffenhausen plant. 20,000 units a year are expected to be built per year.

	2009 Dodge Durango / Chrysler Aspen Hybrid Chrysler is entering the hybrid market with two versions of its midsize SUVs. The Dodge Durango and its upscale sibling, the Chrysler Aspen, will both offer a gas-electric hybrid model in 2008. In both models, Chrysler's 5.7-liter Hemi V8 will be integrated with a two-mode hybrid system developed jointly by Chrysler, General Motors, and BMW. The system uses an electric continuously variable transmission (ECVT) that also has four fixed gears, like a traditional automatic transmission.

	2009 VW Jetta Hybrid The most recent reports on the VW Jetta Hybrid would have a hybrid drivetrain coming out in 2009 along with the planned redesign of the vehicle. However, that was under Bernd Pischetsrieder, VW's CEO that was replaced in November 2006. The new regime led by Martin Winterkorn is quoted as believing that the profit margin on "economy hybrid" models is far too low, and is planning to turn their attention to the Touareg SUV as its most likely hybrid premiere.

	2009 Audi Q7 Hybrid Scheduled for a 2008 debut, the hybrid version couples the 4.2-liter V8 with an electric motor to boost torque to 472 pound-feet. Its 0-60-mph time is expected to be less than 7 seconds. Audi predicts the hybrid version will be 15 percent more economical than the pure-gasoline counterpart.

	2009 Hyundai Accent/Kia Rio Hybrid This hybrid technology is their own, not borrowed from Toyota. At a November 2005 unveiling at the Guangzhou, China auto show, Hyundai said the engine achieves a 44 percent improvement in fuel economy. The conventional Accent lists at around $10,000, so these cars could be the first hybrids to have a MSRP at significantly under $20k. Although originally slotted to be brought to the U.S. market in late 2006 or early 2007, the increasing value of the Korean won has changed Hyundai's plans, and the launch of this hybrid line in America has now been pushed back until at least the 2009 model year.

	CONCEPT CAR: Chevy Volt Plug-in Hybrid The Chevy Volt is a plug-in hybrid, but its E-flex drivetrain uses only an electric motor under battery power to propel itself. What makes it different from a pure battery/electric car is an onboard generator powered by a small gasoline engine. Two things make the Volt significant. The first is that it can be plugged into a household electric socket and charged fully within about six hours, allowing it to drive roughly 40 miles on electricity alone. If the battery does run down, the 1.0-liter, three-cylinder gas engine charges the battery and provides power to keep on driving up to 600 additional miles. E-flex is what's called a series hybrid, as opposed to the many Hondas, Toyotas and other hybrids sold now, which are parallel hybrids. Chevy says the Volt gets 50 mpg with the generator running in what's called range-extender mode. The second significant aspect is that the gasoline-driven generator, which also runs on E85, could be replaced by any other engine type — diesel, biodiesel, pure ethanol — or a hydrogen fuel cell. The E-flex principle would allow people to choose their engine based on fuel availability and prices in their region.

	CONCEPT CAR: Volvo C30 Plug-in Hybrid Volvo is working on a plug-in diesel-electric hybrid with a similar powertrain design to the Chevy Volt concept unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show in early January. Like GM's E-Flex platform, the C30 will be driven by electric motors which run off a battery pack with a range of 30 to 37 miles. Once the batteries run down, a diesel engine fires up to run a generator which in turn recharges the batteries. Additionally, the C30 will have plug-in capabilities for overnight charging. Utilizing a diesel engine as a range-extended for the on-board battery pack should yield exceptional diesel fuel efficiency as well as near-zero emissions for shorter trips which utilize the batteries only. Currently under development in Volvo's California development center, the hybrid C30 is to be presented autumn this year at the Challenge Bibendum international sustainable mobility event in Shanghai.

	CONCEPT CAR: Zap/Lotus Zap-X Electric Vehicle Zap, which specializes in electric scooters and economy cars, is jumping into the sports car market. The Santa Rosa, Calif.-based company will try to bring an electric sports car to the market by the end of 2008 built around the APX, a concept car developed by England's Lotus Engineering. The design goals for the Zap-X, if met, would allow Zap to leapfrog ahead of Tesla Motors and Wrightspeed in terms of how far the vehicle will go before a charge. Zap said its car will go 350 miles before a charge, significantly farther than either the Tesla Roadster or the car from Wrightspeed. The Zap-X will cost only $60,000, said Zap CEO Steve Schneider. The company also said the battery in the car could be recharged in about 10 minutes, faster than other cars. It will go from zero to 60 miles per hour in 4.8 seconds; the Tesla Roadster does that in 4 seconds, while the X1 can do that in 3 seconds. The Zap-X will also have room for five adults, instead of the two seats in the other cars. The Zap-X will have a theoretical maximum speed of 155 mph and sport 644 horsepower, the company said.

DISCLAIMER

Vehicles featured on this page have not yet been certified by the California Air Resources Board, and may or may not meet the criteria necessary to remain on this web site if and when they have been certified. Vehicles highlighted on this web page are projections based upon industry news and announcements from manufacturers. Photos are included to best represent what the vehicle may look like.