Cars that run on hydrogen and exhaust only water vapor are emerging to challenge electric vehicles as the world's transportation of the future.

At the Los Angeles Auto Show Wednesday, Honda and Hyundai automakers unveiled hydrogen fuel cell vehicles to be delivered to the general public as early as next spring.

Toyota promised a mass-produced fuel cell car by 2015 at the Tokyo car show earlier.

Hyundai Motor Co. will be the first to the mass market in the U.S. It unveiled a hydrogen-powered Tucson small SUV that will be leased to consumers for $499 per month for three years with $3,000 down.

Hydrogen cars are appealing because unlike electric vehicles, they have the range of a typical gasoline car and can be refueled quickly. Experts say the industry also has overcome safety and reliability concerns that have hindered distribution in the past.

But hydrogen cars still have a glaring downside � refueling stations are scarce, and costly to build.

Consumers can expect costs in line with some luxury models.

Hyundai is offering to pay the hydrogen and maintenance costs. The company will start leasing in the Los Angeles area, where most of the state's nine fueling stations are located. California lawmakers have allocated $100 million to build 100 more. Honda wouldn't reveal any pricing details.

Hydrogen cars, experts say, have an advantage over battery-powered electric cars because drivers don't have to worry about running out of electricity and having to wait hours for recharging.

Hydrogen fuel cells use a complex chemical process to separate electrons and protons in hydrogen gas molecules. The electrons power a car's electric motor, which turns the wheels.

Since the hydrogen isn't burned, there's no pollution. Instead, oxygen also is pumped into the system, and when it meets the hydrogen ions and electrons, that creates water and heat. The only byproduct is water.

A fuel cell produces only about one volt of electricity, so many are stacked to generate enough juice.

Toyota said its new fuel cell vehicle will go on sale in Japan in 2015 and within a year later in Europe and U.S.

Toyota's fuel cell car is a "concept" model called FCV that looks like a sleeker Prius gas-electric hybrid.

Honda, which has leased about two-dozen fuel cell cars since 2005, took the wraps off a futuristic-looking FCEV concept vehicle in Los Angeles.

Honda executives predict that it will take five years for the hydrogen refueling stations to reach significant numbers outside California, and up to 25 years to go nationwide.

But skeptics say hydrogen fueling stations are more expensive than electric car charging stations, partly because electricity is almost everywhere and new and safe ways for producing, storing and transferring

hydrogen will be needed.

AP TELEVISION

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Los Angeles, California

1. Wide, convention floor at Los Angeles Auto Show

2. Wide, pan across cars covered with fabric waiting to be revealed

3. Wide, Chevrolet logo advertising new "Colorado" mid-size pickup truck

4. Medium, smoke and colored lights around new Subaru WRX, silky fabric slides off to unveil new car model in cherry red

5. Medium low, man peers in driver's side door of Subaru WRX

6. Wide, Honda stage with water and lights and concept car under wraps

7. Medium, screen above stage reads reads "Honda FCEV Concept"

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Tetsuo Iwamura, President and CEO, American Honda Motor Co.

"Today we want to focus on what we believe has the potential to become the ultimate solution to realizing ultra-low carbon mobility. And that is the fuel cell electric vehicle."

9. Wide, Iwamura speaks on stage in front of veiled concept car

10. Tight, rear bumper of concept car as Iwarmura walks in front

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Tetsuo Iwamura, President and CEO, American Honda Motor Co."The Honda FCEV concept!" (wide, fabric is whisked off car and music swells)

12. Wide, Honda sign on convention floor

13. Medium, woman tries to open door on concept car

14. Medium, man takes photo of car with cell phone

15. Tight, rear license plate pan up to Honda logo on rear bumper

16. SOUNDBITE (English) John O'Dell, Edmunds.com green vehicle analyst "Hydrogen fuel cells basically mix hydrogen and oxygen together, separate out the electrons and produce the electricity on board. In actuality, a hydrogen fuel cell car is an electric vehicle."

17. Tight, front of Honda concept car, zoom out to entire car

18. Tight, Honda insignia on front of car

19. Medium, photographer takes photo of car 20. SOUNDBITE (English) John O'Dell, Edmunds.com green vehicle analyst "The way Hyundai for instance tests its fuel cell tank? They light the car on fire. They've burnt up entire fuel cell vehicles to see what happens.

The pressure vent on the tank releases, the hydrogen goes up in a fan shape, it burns like a butane lighter, straight up in the air. And it dissipates in a couple of minutes."

21. Tight, curves on concept car, zoom out to entire car

22. Tight, Iwamura speaks to Japanese reporters

23. Medium pan, concept car

24. SOUNDBITE (English) John O'Dell, Edmunds.com green vehicle analyst "It's a more compact package and it's lighter than a big battery pack that you need for a plug-in electric vehicle."

25. Wide, audience waiting for Hyundai press conference

26. Medium, people at Hyundai presser

27. Wide, Hyundai Tucson ix35 hydrogen fuel cell compact SUV spinning slowly

28. Tight, Hyundai fuel cell vehicle spinning 29. Wide, Hyundai stage

30. SOUNDBITE (English) John Krafcik, President and CEO, Hyundai Motor America "You've got driving range of up to 300 miles. You can refuel them in just a few minutes. And there's endless choice in size and configuration.

That's because it's more space- and weight-efficient to multiply the number of fuel cells than it is to multiply the number of batteries."

31. Wide, Krafcik on stage

32. Medium, Hyundai Tucson compact SUV

33. Wide, Toyota display at convention

34. Tight, Toyota sign

35. Tight zoom out to medium, worker polishing Dodge Challenger anniversary edition

36. Medium, model in white dress and boots with Dodge Challenger

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4058125

LEAD IN:

The future of driving may be here sooner than you think - that's the message at the Paris Motor Show where out-of-this world concept cars reveal the plans of vehicle makers in the coming years.

Among the avant-garde designs is a car seat inspired by a spider's web, and a new breed of electric vehicles.

STORY-LINE:

This is French car maker Renault's new Trezor concept car.

It's an all-electric Grand Tourer concept, delivering zero to 62 miles per hour in under four seconds.

Giving clues to Renault's future electric strategy, Trezor's high-output all-electric power train boasts 260 kW or 350 horse power.

And there's no need to worry about doors - the one-piece clam shell roof opens like a lid.

Renault says this two-seater electric coupe embodies its new design philosophy, which may not be too distant from reality.

"The car will be electric, fully electric, that's clearly the destination because that's the only way to come to zero emissions in use and that's something the industry needs to do to comply and to solve the issues of pollution and CO2 questions," says Eric Feunteun from Renault.

"Second, it's going to be very connected. We've seen today we are paving the way, but we have more to come. And of course, autonomous. And all those three concepts, electric, autonomous and connected will clearly be linked together."

Daimler's new Mercedes-Benz Generation EQ concept car may look like a far-flung vision of the future, but its makers say it will soon become a reality.

With the design of a sporty SUV coupe, this EQ concept boasts two electric motors with a range of around 500 kilometres.

The 300 kW output allows acceleration to 100 kilometres an hour in under five seconds. Charging is optimised to give enough battery life for 100 kilometres in just five minutes.

Daimler's Dieter Zetsche says it's this kind of technology which will eventually convince drivers to make the jump from combustion engines to all-electric battery power.

"We will be able - based on the progress in technology - to offer that car with a range of more than 500 kilometres practical use with recharging time of less than half an hour and all of that at an affordable price it will be in the range of a good-equipped GLC of our current product line-up," he says.

"And we are convinced with all the additional features this product includes that we really have now the chance, just on a competitive basis, to convince customers to buy these cars versus the cars with combustion engine drive lines."

French brand Citroen is showing off this new CXperience concept car which reveals its ambitions in the upmarket sector.

The saloon with rear-hinged doors gives extra room in this citrus green interior. It's fitted with a plug-in hybrid engine in a bid to combine both performance and efficiency.

That means in the city it can be switched into all-electric mode with a range of around 60 kilometres. But when on the open road the internal combustion engines takes over to deliver 300 brake horse power performance.

"With this concept we want to show that Citroen is able to shave the codes, to overturn the established codes for instance in terms of design, you see that it's a really unique shape," says Richard Meyer from Citroen.

"What we want is that everybody in the street can say; 'Oh, I can see this vehicle, for sure it's a Citroen."

While most automakers here at the Paris Motor Show are looking under the bonnet and incorporating new battery-powered technology, Lexus - Toyota's luxury division - is looking in the cockpit.

The brand's new UX concept features web-like seating in the front.

It's inspired by this Kinetic Seat concept which works to move kinetically with the occupants weight and external forces, this - Lexus claims - helps stabilise head movement caused by the vehicle's motion.

The spider web-inspired design - like an actual spider web - helps disperse the load and closely fit the body shape, meaning a more comfortable experience for long drives.

"The spider web-like pattern like any other spider web in nature the radial strings are responsible to hold the body weight," explains Carlos Gonzalez from Toyota's vehicle engineering development division.

"The perpendicular loading versus the radial strings the closer loops we have in the net, they are responsible for distributing the pressure but also for transmitting the rotational torque that happens in the upper body by having this swing mechanism that we have in the sub frame."

The majority of concept cars at the Paris Motor Show are closer to reality than this Toyota FCV Plus fuel cell vehicle.

That's because car makers are looking into the not too distant future where emission regulations force their hand into producing more battery-powered and greener designs, says Jim Holder from UK-based motoring magazine 'Autocar'.

"Not all the concept cars are electric,but a lot of them are," he says. "The electric movement really is gathering pace, legislation demands that it does and the car makers are starting to see that customers finally are willing to busy electrified cars, whether that's through a hybrid car that combines traditional power train and electrification or full electric, there is a market there now and it's growing and all the manufacturers have to get in on that and sell these cars in order to meet their emissions targets."

The Paris Motor Show opens to the public 1-16 October.

Paris, France - 29 September 2016

1. Wide of Renault Trezor concept car unveil at the Paris Motor Show

2. Various of Renault Trezor concept car

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Feunteun, Head of electric program, Renault:

"The car will be electric, fully electric, that's clearly the destination because that's the only way to come to zero emissions in use and that's something the industry needs to do to comply and to solve the issues of pollution and CO2 questions. Second, it's going to be very connected. We've seen today we are paving the way, but we have more to come. And of course, autonomous. And all those three concepts, electric, autonomous and connected will clearly be linked together."

4. Various of Mercedes-Benz Generation EQ concept car

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler AG:

"We will be able - based on the progress in technology - to offer that car with a range of more than 500 kilometres in practical use with recharging time of less than half an hour and all of that at an affordable price which will be in the range of a good-equipped GLC ( car model) of our current product line-up. And we are convinced with all the additional features this product includes that we really have now the chance, just on a competitive basis, to convince customers to buy these cars versus the cars with combustion engine drive lines."

6. Various of Citroen CXperience concept car

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Richard Meyer, Head of Production Planning and Future Products, Citroen:

"With this concept we want to show that Citroen is able to shave the codes, to overturn the established codes, for instance in terms of design, you see that it's a really unique shape. What we want is that everybody in the street can say; 'Oh, I can see this vehicle, for sure it's a Citroen."

8. Various of Lexus UX concept car

9. Various of webbing-style seats inside Lexus UX concept car

10. Various of Lexus Kinetic Seat concept with spider web-style design

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Carlos Gonzalez, Vehicle Engineering Development Division, Toyota:

"The spider web-like pattern like any other spider web in nature, the radial strings are responsible to hold the body weight, the perpendicular loading versus the radial strings. The closer loops that we have in the net, they are responsible for distributing the pressure but also for transmitting the rotational torque that happens in the upper body by having this swing mechanism that we have in the sub frame."

12. Various of Toyota FCV Plus concept car

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Jim Holder, Editorial Director, 'Autocar' Magazine:

"Not all of the concept cars are electric,but a lot of them are. The electric movement really is gathering pace, legislation demands that it does and the car makers are starting to see that customers finally are willing to busy electrified cars, whether that's through a hybrid car that combines traditional power train and electrification or full electric, there is a market there now and it's growing and all the manufacturers have to get in on that and sell these cars in order to meet their emissions targets."

14. Various of Mitsubishi GT-PHEV concept car

15. Wide of Paris Motor Show floor

LEAD IN:

The future of driving may be here sooner than you think - that's the message at the Paris Motor Show where out-of-this world concept cars reveal the plans of vehicle makers in the coming years.

Among the avant-garde designs is a car seat inspired by a spider's web, and a new breed of electric vehicles.

STORY-LINE:

This is French car maker Renault's new Trezor concept car.

It's an all-electric Grand Tourer concept, delivering zero to 62 miles per hour in under four seconds.

Giving clues to Renault's future electric strategy, Trezor's high-output all-electric power train boasts 260 kW or 350 horse power.

And there's no need to worry about doors - the one-piece clam shell roof opens like a lid.

Renault says this two-seater electric coupe embodies its new design philosophy, which may not be too distant from reality.

"The car will be electric, fully electric, that's clearly the destination because that's the only way to come to zero emissions in use and that's something the industry needs to do to comply and to solve the issues of pollution and CO2 questions," says Eric Feunteun from Renault.

"Second, it's going to be very connected. We've seen today we are paving the way, but we have more to come. And of course, autonomous. And all those three concepts, electric, autonomous and connected will clearly be linked together."

Daimler's new Mercedes-Benz Generation EQ concept car may look like a far-flung vision of the future, but its makers say it will soon become a reality.

With the design of a sporty SUV coupe, this EQ concept boasts two electric motors with a range of around 500 kilometres.

The 300 kW output allows acceleration to 100 kilometres an hour in under five seconds. Charging is optimised to give enough battery life for 100 kilometres in just five minutes.

Daimler's Dieter Zetsche says it's this kind of technology which will eventually convince drivers to make the jump from combustion engines to all-electric battery power.

"We will be able - based on the progress in technology - to offer that car with a range of more than 500 kilometres practical use with recharging time of less than half an hour and all of that at an affordable price it will be in the range of a good-equipped GLC of our current product line-up," he says.

"And we are convinced with all the additional features this product includes that we really have now the chance, just on a competitive basis, to convince customers to buy these cars versus the cars with combustion engine drive lines."

French brand Citroen is showing off this new CXperience concept car which reveals its ambitions in the upmarket sector.

The saloon with rear-hinged doors gives extra room in this citrus green interior. It's fitted with a plug-in hybrid engine in a bid to combine both performance and efficiency.

That means in the city it can be switched into all-electric mode with a range of around 60 kilometres. But when on the open road the internal combustion engines takes over to deliver 300 brake horse power performance.

"With this concept we want to show that Citroen is able to shave the codes, to overturn the established codes for instance in terms of design, you see that it's a really unique shape," says Richard Meyer from Citroen.

"What we want is that everybody in the street can say; 'Oh, I can see this vehicle, for sure it's a Citroen."

While most automakers here at the Paris Motor Show are looking under the bonnet and incorporating new battery-powered technology, Lexus - Toyota's luxury division - is looking in the cockpit.

The brand's new UX concept features web-like seating in the front.

It's inspired by this Kinetic Seat concept which works to move kinetically with the occupants weight and external forces, this - Lexus claims - helps stabilise head movement caused by the vehicle's motion.

The spider web-inspired design - like an actual spider web - helps disperse the load and closely fit the body shape, meaning a more comfortable experience for long drives.

"The spider web-like pattern like any other spider web in nature the radial strings are responsible to hold the body weight," explains Carlos Gonzalez from Toyota's vehicle engineering development division.

"The perpendicular loading versus the radial strings the closer loops we have in the net, they are responsible for distributing the pressure but also for transmitting the rotational torque that happens in the upper body by having this swing mechanism that we have in the sub frame."

The majority of concept cars at the Paris Motor Show are closer to reality than this Toyota FCV Plus fuel cell vehicle.

That's because car makers are looking into the not too distant future where emission regulations force their hand into producing more battery-powered and greener designs, says Jim Holder from UK-based motoring magazine 'Autocar'.

"Not all the concept cars are electric,but a lot of them are," he says. "The electric movement really is gathering pace, legislation demands that it does and the car makers are starting to see that customers finally are willing to busy electrified cars, whether that's through a hybrid car that combines traditional power train and electrification or full electric, there is a market there now and it's growing and all the manufacturers have to get in on that and sell these cars in order to meet their emissions targets."

The Paris Motor Show opens to the public 1-16 October.

Paris, France - 29 September 2016

1. Wide of Renault Trezor concept car unveil at the Paris Motor Show

2. Various of Renault Trezor concept car

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Feunteun, Head of electric program, Renault:

"The car will be electric, fully electric, that's clearly the destination because that's the only way to come to zero emissions in use and that's something the industry needs to do to comply and to solve the issues of pollution and CO2 questions. Second, it's going to be very connected. We've seen today we are paving the way, but we have more to come. And of course, autonomous. And all those three concepts, electric, autonomous and connected will clearly be linked together."

4. Various of Mercedes-Benz Generation EQ concept car

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler AG:

"We will be able - based on the progress in technology - to offer that car with a range of more than 500 kilometres in practical use with recharging time of less than half an hour and all of that at an affordable price which will be in the range of a good-equipped GLC ( car model) of our current product line-up. And we are convinced with all the additional features this product includes that we really have now the chance, just on a competitive basis, to convince customers to buy these cars versus the cars with combustion engine drive lines."

6. Various of Citroen CXperience concept car

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Richard Meyer, Head of Production Planning and Future Products, Citroen:

"With this concept we want to show that Citroen is able to shave the codes, to overturn the established codes, for instance in terms of design, you see that it's a really unique shape. What we want is that everybody in the street can say; 'Oh, I can see this vehicle, for sure it's a Citroen."

8. Various of Lexus UX concept car

9. Various of webbing-style seats inside Lexus UX concept car

10. Various of Lexus Kinetic Seat concept with spider web-style design

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Carlos Gonzalez, Vehicle Engineering Development Division, Toyota:

"The spider web-like pattern like any other spider web in nature, the radial strings are responsible to hold the body weight, the perpendicular loading versus the radial strings. The closer loops that we have in the net, they are responsible for distributing the pressure but also for transmitting the rotational torque that happens in the upper body by having this swing mechanism that we have in the sub frame."

12. Various of Toyota FCV Plus concept car

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Jim Holder, Editorial Director, 'Autocar' Magazine:

"Not all of the concept cars are electric,but a lot of them are. The electric movement really is gathering pace, legislation demands that it does and the car makers are starting to see that customers finally are willing to busy electrified cars, whether that's through a hybrid car that combines traditional power train and electrification or full electric, there is a market there now and it's growing and all the manufacturers have to get in on that and sell these cars in order to meet their emissions targets."

14. Various of Mitsubishi GT-PHEV concept car

15. Wide of Paris Motor Show floor

SHOTLIST

Llanelli - 24 April, 2008

1. Various of sports car on road

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Tim Bishop, Connaught Motors, Engineering Director

"We're riding in the very first prototype car, so it's a bit noisy and harsh, but this is a supercharged car, which is pretty fast and manages to do about 22 miles to the gallon, and 170 miles per hour, and seat four people."

3. Various of sports car on road

4. Mid of Geoff Matthews getting into sports car

5. Various of Matthews inside car

6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Geoff Matthews, Connaught Motors, operations director

"Behind me is the Connaught motor car, which is not yet available to the public, but is rather unique, in that it has a hybrid assist system, which is bolted to the front of a unique V10 engine. In fact the whole car is new from the ground up."

7. Close of petrol cap

8. Close of V10 badge

9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Geoff Matthews, Connaught Motors, operations director

"So, you should be able to save, shall we say 15 to 25 per cent fuel and an exact equivalent reduction in CO2 emissions."

10. Zoom into car interior

11. SOUNDBITE: (English) Geoff Matthews, Connaught Motors, operations director

"The car gave birth to the only retrofit hybrid system technology currently available in the world today. So it's a version of this system, and it's fitted to a Transit van."

12. Wide of white Ford Transit van, with Tony Martindale walking towards front of van

13. Mid of Martindale opening front of van

14. Various close of hybrid engine

15. SOUNDBITE: (English) Tony Martindale, Connaught Motors, Chief Operations Director

"The unique thing about the technology we've employed is, as you're aware it was developed on the Connaught Type D, which is a petrol installation. And it's 100 per cent retrofit, so the hybrid system that we employ in the vehicle is less than 50 kilograms, it get bolted to an existing van, so straight off the line, so if you drive a fleet of Transits, we can install in less than a day for you."

16. Various close of hybrid retrofit engine

17. Wide of van

18. Close Transit badge

19. Mid of hybrid logo

20. Close of hybrid logo

London - 30 April, 2008

21. Set up of Dan Strong at desk

22. SOUNDBITE: (English) Dan Strong, Auto Express, motoring editor

"Retrofitting hybrids is a really interesting idea and beneficial on a number of levels. First of all, it allows the technology to be fitted to a wider group of vehicles, than those I mentioned before. Secondly it allows the technology to be developed independent of the car. Developing cars is a very expensive experience for any manufacturer. So to be able to just focus on the hybrid unit, the power train effectively, could offer efficiencies and costs savings."

23. Mid of Strong at desk

25. SOUNDBITE: (English) Dan Strong, Auto Express, motoring editor

"Hybrid cars have been under development for some time now. One company that has had particular success is Toyota. Toyota built the Prius, and under the Lexus badge they also build cars like the LS600H and the GS450H. All three of these cars have had commercial success. They've also proved to be reliable and really have dealt consumers the kind of savings they were hoping to make. Particularly here in central London, where we have the congestion charge, from which hybrids are currently exempt."

26. Various of cars and buses on road

27. Wide of exterior of Toyota car dealership

28. Various of hybrid cars

29. Various of Toyota Prius

30. Close of hybrid badge

31. Close pan of front of car

32. Various close of engine

LEAD IN:

A small Welsh car maker has developed an innovative hybrid engine that may help in reducing harmful carbon emissions.

Initially made for a high performance car, the retrofit hybrid engine can now be fitted to commercial vehicles.

The makers claim the new engine can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 15 to 25 per cent.

STORYLINE:

As big car manufacturers try to woo potential customers with 'greener' cars, one small company has come up with its own way to reduce carbon emissions.

Based in an unassuming Welsh industrial estate, the Connaught Motor Company has developed a new kind of hybrid engine.

Traditionally the company has been known for its high-end, high-performance vehicles.

Its heyday was in 1955, when one of the company's cars won the Sicilian Grand Prix.

However, production stopped in the following decades.

Then in 2002 the company was relaunched by a small team of passionate car lovers.

Since then a series of new prototype vehicles have been developed.

Tim Bishop, the engineering director, says the first prototype is a supercharged vehicle, capable of reaching speeds of 170 miles per hour (273 kilometres per hour).

From this first prototype, they begun developing a hybrid version.

The result was the Connaught Type D, this sporty number comes equipped with a hybrid assist unit, bolted to a V10 engine.

The company claims that the Type D V10 sports coupe will deliver a 30 percent reduction in CO2 emissions compared to vehicles in its class, with a hybrid engine capable of taking to the car from 0-60 miles per hour in 6.2 seconds to a top speed of 150mph (241 kilometres per hour).

Priced between 45,000 UK pounds (US$88,800) to 80,000 UK pounds (US$160,000) depending on specifications.

Connaught is pitching the car between a Jaguar and the Aston Martin.

For now the Type D is unavailable to the public, but production should start in 2008.

Matthews says the hybrid engine can reduce total fuel consumption by around 15 to 25 per cent.

This unique hybrid engine has spawned a new line of business for Connaught.

Matthews says development of the sports car led to the first retro-fitted hybrid engine available for commercial vehicles.

Connaught Engineering Ltd has invested12 million pounds (US$24 million) to commission a factory to produce a CO2 emissions-cutting engine component that can be retro-fitted to commercial vans.

The retro-fitted engines can be attached to an ordinary Ford Transit van.

Standing by one of the vans equipped with the retro-fit engine is Tony Martindale, the Chief Operations Director.

He says they can install the lightweight engines to vans in less than a day.

Each retro-fit engine weighs less than 50 kilograms.

The company won a 3.4 million pound (US$6.7 million) grant from the Welsh assembly.

Tesco PLC, Britain's largest grocer, is one of several companies currently testing Connaught's hybrid retro-fit system using the technology on its fleet of home delivery vans.

If successful, Connaught expects orders of around 4,000 units a year.

Dan Strong, motoring editor of Auto Express, says retro-fitting engines is very cost effective, because there is no need to develop new vehicles.

In addition, it means the engines can be fitted to a wider group of vehicles, according to Strong.

Nonetheless, there are a number of car manufacturers that have launched their own hybrid cars.

Strong says Toyota has had some success with its Prius model.

He adds consumers are looking for vehicles which can save them money, especially in central London where hybrid cars are exempt from the congestion charge.

Once a car crosses the congestion charge zone between 7am and 6pm on a weekday, the cost to the private driver is eight pounds (US$15.8) a day.

Car makers are developing new models of 'eco cars', aimed at meeting new targets set by the European Union.

Those targets mean automobile manufacturers will have to cut car emissions by 2012 or face big fines.

The proposal will force automakers to reduce average carbon dioxide emissions from new cars sold in the EU from around 160 grams per kilometre to 130 grams starting in 2012.

SHOTLIST:

Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, US

November 18, 2010

1. Wide of LA Auto Show

2. Pull to wide of electric concept car

3. Pull to mid of electric concept car

4. Wide of LA Auto Show

5. Set up of Richard Homan, Road and Track Magazine car journalist

7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Richard Homan, Road and Track Magazine car journalist

"The headlines are certainly electricity green cars as well as the tendency toward cars to get smaller. When I started in this business cars and trucks were getting bigger and bigger and bigger and trucks were the big thing now cars are tending to get smaller. There's even a little Fiat over at the Chrysler stand. Cars getting smaller becoming more efficient packages."

8. Wide of Lexus stand

9. Pull of Mini stand

10. Set up of Brendan Flynn, director of communications for the Los Angeles Auto Show

11. SOUNDBITE: (English) Brendan Flynn, director of communications for the Los Angeles Auto Show

"This is absolutely a record breaking show for LA. this is the biggest show that we've ever had. We have more than 50 world and North American debuts at least 25 of those debuts have never been seen before. So this is the first time anyone in the world gets to see these cars. We have a thousand cars on the show floor. We have 50 different brands so its definitely one of the top five shows in the world. "

12. Wide of Nissan Leaf

13. Pull of Nissan Leaf badge

14. Zoom of electric charging plug in car's bonnet

15. Pullout of the interior of Nissan Leaf

16. Wide of Mitsubishi Miev electric car

17. Pull of Volvo C30 electric car

18. Pull of Porsche stand

19. Pan from Fisker TV monitor to car

20. Wide of Kia Optima Hybrid

21. SOUNDBITE: (English) Brendan Flynn, director of communications for the Los Angeles Auto Show

"And then we've got some crazy concepts. We have this Jaguar that's in the booth right next to us that's a $300,000 electric Supercar that goes from zero to 60 (mph) in 3.2 seconds. You can go to Vegas and back on one tank of gas!"

22. Mid of Jaguar electric Supercar

23. Pull of Chevrolet stand

24. Mid of the Chevrolet Volt electric car

25. Set up of Richard James, manager of product communications for General Motors on the West Coast

26. SOUNDBITE: (English) Richard James, manager of product communications for General Motors on the West Coast

"What we have is an electric vehicle with extended range and what that is an electric vehicle that allows you to drive - if you have a full battery - on pure electricity or your battery reserve for up to 50 miles. What happens after that, to overcome this issue known as "range anxiety" is there's a generator that is built into the car, an internal combustion engine - a gasoline engine essentially - that kicks in automatically, seamless to the consumer, that will charge the battery and so the vehicle will continue to run on its electric architecture for up to 350 miles."

27. Mid of GM pick up truck

28. Mid of GM SUV

29. Tilt up from GMC logo to car

30. Pull from Nissan Leaf badge

31. Tilt down on "fill up at home" electric charging station

32. Set up of Mark Perry, director of product planning, Nissan

33. SOUNDBITE: (English) Mark Perry, director of product planning, Nissan

"This is the world's first affordable pure zero emission car, battery electric, no gas, no oil. Never have to go to a gas station, never have to do an oil change. Zero emission, there's not even a tail pipe. 100 miles of range in a single charge. 90mph top speed and it's as simple as plugging in right into your garage."

34. Mid of Fiat 500 car

35. Wide of Toyota stand

36. Mid of Kia Pop concept car

37. Tilt down of Kia stand

38. Pull of Kia Pop concept car

39. Pull wide of Ford stand

40. Wide of Saab electric car

41. Pull tilt down of Mercedes stand

42. Wide of Hyundai stand

LEAD IN:

There's a buzz at the Los Angeles Auto Show as the latest current of zero-emission electric cars roll into town.

The Auto Show, at the LA Convention Center, features more than 20 world debuts from the top manufacturers and the word on everybody's lips is "electric".

STORY LINE:

This year's show marks the arrival of the "electric era" with green concept models packing the stands.

Like this Honda electric vehicle concept making its world debut.

Consumers will be able to buy many of these mass-production electric vehicles from December (2010).

Richard Homan, Road and Track Magazine motoring journalist says he's seen a sea change in attitudes.

"The headlines are certainly electricity green cars as well as the tendency toward cars to get smaller," he says. "When I started in this business cars and trucks were getting bigger and bigger and bigger and trucks were the big thing now cars are tending to get smaller. There's even a little Fiat over at the Chrysler stand. Cars getting smaller becoming more efficient packages."

This year's show boasts over 1,000 cars from 50 different brands, says Brendan Flynn, director of communications for the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Some of the electric concept cars were more outlandish.

Brendan Flynn, director of communications for the Los Angeles Auto Show, says "We've got some crazy concepts. We have this Jaguar that's in the booth right next to us that's a $300,000 electric Supercar that goes from zero to 60 (mph) in 3.2 seconds. You can go to Vegas and back on one tank of gas."

The Jaguar C -X75 concept car is powered by four lithium-ion batteries putting out a total of 780 horsepower with a top speed is 205 mph.

The 2012 Mitsubishi Miev electric car - marketed as a second vehicle - is expected to cost $30,000 when it goes on sale in November 2011.

The Volvo C30 two-door, four-seater also achieves 100 miles on a full charge and has a top speed of up to 81mph. Acceleration is sprightly, it goes from 0 to 61 miles per hour in 10.5 seconds.

The first C30s will be available in the US from the end of next year.

The 2011 Chevrolet Volt was named Green Car of the Year at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

The Volt matches sedan (saloon) styling with an electric motor capable of powering the car for 40 miles before a backup combustion engine kicks in.

Motor Trend and Automobile Magazine also named the Volt its 2011 Car of the Year. It goes on sale in December.

Richard James, manager of product communications for General Motors on the West Coast, says: "What we have is an electric vehicle with extended range and what that is an electric vehicle that allows you to drive - if you have a full battery - on pure electricity or your battery reserve for up to 50 miles. What happens after that, to overcome this issue known as "range anxiety" is there's a generator that is built into the car, an internal combustion engine - a gasoline engine essentially - that kicks in automatically, seamless to the consumer, that will charge the battery and so the vehicle will continue to run on its electric architecture for up to 350 miles."

The highly-anticipated Nissan Leaf was introduced as the first mass-market 100 per cent electric, zero emission vehicle.

The Leaf will be available from December 15, 2010 in the US and Japan and in most European markets in early 2011.

Mark Perry, director of product planning at Nissan, says: "This is the world's first affordable pure zero emission car, battery electric, no gas, no oil. Never have to go to a gas station, never have to do an oil change. Zero emission, there's not even a tail pipe. 100 miles of range in a single charge. 90mph top speed and it's as simple as plugging in right into your garage."

There were electric sports cars from Porsche and Fisker, the exclusive electric car company, with its Karma model boasting a 300 mile range and a solar roof.

Toyota and Tesla has joined forces with the Toyota RAV 4 EV (electric vehicle).

Tesla will be responsible for building the RAV 4's lithium battery pack aiming for a 100-mile range. Testing beings in 2011 with the first production models not expected to roll out of the factory until 2012.

One of the more unusual concepts at the show is KIA's sparkling silver Pop.

This electric concept can travel 100 miles on a single charge, recharges fully in six hours and has a 90mph top speed.

Unfortunately it's not for large families - the space age cabin only houses three people.

The annual Los Angeles Auto Show runs from November 19-28, 2010.