Baltimore Car Show Reveals The Future
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- We are on the verge of a major change in the fuel efficiency of cars and trucks sold in America.
As Mike Schuh reports, such a change will affect all cars around the world and the proof is on display in Baltimore.
For a car show, it's pretty small---just 17 cars and trucks. But in importance? The future is in this room.
For instance, there's a $100,000 electric/gas hybrid sports car.
"That whole center tunnel is all batteries, which will take you 33 to 50 miles on pure electric. When you want to go further, there's a gas engine attached to a generator producing more electric that will take you further," said Kellen Schefter, Fisker Automotive.
Nearby is a $15,000 neighborhood run about electric. Everything you see is green: turbo diesel, hybrid, electric fuel cell. It's cutting edge now but will be commonplace within a decade.
"As the number increases, the costs come down. Look at hybrids. The cost of hybrids continues to come down in the last 10 years," said Margo Oge, EPA.
This is the fifth year for this show and the first time it's ever been to the United States. It's drawing people from all over the world as the US moves to get 13 of the big 15 carmakers to agree to double their fuel efficiency by 2025, which will affect cars the world over.
That conference runs through Wednesday with a visit from the president of Hyundai Motors.
