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

LEAD-IN:

The ongoing Zika virus emergency has forced one Indian auto maker into rebranding a hatchback it was previously planning to call 'Zica'.

A host of international auto makers - including Chevrolet, Toyota and Jaguar - are showcasing concept cars and latest models at the 2016 India Auto Expo.

STORY-LINE:

Kick start your engines, the 2016 India Auto Expo is go.

In Greater Noida on the outskirts of Delhi, both Indian and international car makers are showcasing their latest models, concepts and hybrid variants for expectant crowds.

The Auto Expo is one of the largest motor shows in Asia, attracting thousands of car enthusiasts hoping to catch a glimpse of the latest in automobile innovation.

General Motors brand Chevrolet is showcasing its 'Beat Activ' concept car.

A youthful and perhaps great-valued vehicle should it ever go into production, according to Chevrolet's Tim Mahoney.

"The vehicle in many ways reflects kind of the DNA of Chevrolet," he says.

"It gets really great styling, it's really youthful. I think it has a performance aspect to it because of the soft roader appeal. And also we expect if it were to really go, really great value that it could offer."

Chevrolet is also showcasing its 'Essentia' which it plans to launch in India next year.

Mahoney, Global Chevrolet's chief marketing officer, says India is one of its top ten markets in the world.

The US carmaker plans to bring ten new vehicles to the country in the next five years.

"Chevrolet is sold in 115 markets around the world but India's really in our top ten," he says.

"It's a priority market for us. Lots of potential. And you can see it here our investment in the stand, in the display, the products that we're bringing.

"We plan to bring over the next five years, ten new products to market here in India."

Luxury carmaker Jaguar invited Bollywood actor Katrina Kaif to launch its new sports saloon, the Jaguar XE. It's priced at over $57,000 USD in the Indian market.

A range of luxury cars built to satisfy the county's growing pool of super-rich motoring enthusiasts are also on display, including this Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) Range Rover SUV.

The undisputed leader of India's auto market, Maruti Suzuki, is launching its new compact SUV - the Vitara Brezza.

It's powered by a Diesel Direct Injection System (DDiS) engine. Though the vehicle will initially be available in diesel, the company also plans to launch a petrol version.

"The young customer, the third generation customer, who is considering his car as an extension of his personality, he likes to have this kind of aggressive, bold and energetic features, and that kind of stance we have provided in this vehicle," says Randhir Singh Kalsi from Maruti Suzuki India.

Earlier this year, India's Supreme Court continued its ban on registration of certain new diesel vehicles in Delhi until March 31.

That came as bad news for car makers Mercedes, Toyota and General Motors who petitioned against the ban.

With its unique shape and new hybrid engine, concept race car the Toyota TS030 Hybrid is getting lots of attention.

Though hybrid cars aren't popular in the Indian market, the influx of hybrid concepts and engines here suggests there'll be growth in that sector in years to come.

The World Health Organisation recently (1 February 2016) declared a global emergency over the explosive spread of the Zika virus, linked to birth defects in the Americas.

The ongoing emergency is even having an impact here at the auto show with India's Tata Motors being forced to rebrand a new hatchback vehicle it was previously planning to call 'Zica'.

Despite being unveiled here at the event with 'Zica' branding, Tata Motors senior official, Girish Wagh, says they plan not to use the name and will announce a new one in the coming weeks.

According to Wagh, Zica is an abbreviation of 'Zippy Car'.

"What we have made is a car which is meant for the youth of the country. It's a very zippy car, very good to drive around in the city, therefore we had named it as Zica," he says.

"However, you know this virus Zika has also come up and is kind of taking a shape of an epidemic so we are taking cognisance of that fact.

"We empathise with all those who have been suffering due to this and taking a call on this. Therefore, we have decided to change the name of the car."

Most cars sold in India have price tags of under $8,000 USD.

But global manufacturers are optimistic.

They say with an expanding middle class and growing urbanisation, there are long term prospects for growth in the Indian market.

Though the motor show opens to the public Friday (5 February), members of the media were invited for an advance press preview.

LEAD-IN:

The ongoing Zika virus emergency has forced one Indian auto maker into rebranding a hatchback it was previously planning to call 'Zica'.

A host of international auto makers - including Chevrolet, Toyota and Jaguar - are showcasing concept cars and latest models at the 2016 India Auto Expo.

STORY-LINE:

Kick start your engines, the 2016 India Auto Expo is go.

In Greater Noida on the outskirts of Delhi, both Indian and international car makers are showcasing their latest models, concepts and hybrid variants for expectant crowds.

The Auto Expo is one of the largest motor shows in Asia, attracting thousands of car enthusiasts hoping to catch a glimpse of the latest in automobile innovation.

General Motors brand Chevrolet is showcasing its 'Beat Activ' concept car.

A youthful and perhaps great-valued vehicle should it ever go into production, according to Chevrolet's Tim Mahoney.

"The vehicle in many ways reflects kind of the DNA of Chevrolet," he says.

"It gets really great styling, it's really youthful. I think it has a performance aspect to it because of the soft roader appeal. And also we expect if it were to really go, really great value that it could offer."

Chevrolet is also showcasing its 'Essentia' which it plans to launch in India next year.

Mahoney, Global Chevrolet's chief marketing officer, says India is one of its top ten markets in the world.

The US carmaker plans to bring ten new vehicles to the country in the next five years.

"Chevrolet is sold in 115 markets around the world but India's really in our top ten," he says.

"It's a priority market for us. Lots of potential. And you can see it here our investment in the stand, in the display, the products that we're bringing.

"We plan to bring over the next five years, ten new products to market here in India."

Luxury carmaker Jaguar invited Bollywood actor Katrina Kaif to launch its new sports saloon, the Jaguar XE. It's priced at over $57,000 USD in the Indian market.

A range of luxury cars built to satisfy the county's growing pool of super-rich motoring enthusiasts are also on display, including this Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) Range Rover SUV.

The undisputed leader of India's auto market, Maruti Suzuki, is launching its new compact SUV - the Vitara Brezza.

It's powered by a Diesel Direct Injection System (DDiS) engine. Though the vehicle will initially be available in diesel, the company also plans to launch a petrol version.

"The young customer, the third generation customer, who is considering his car as an extension of his personality, he likes to have this kind of aggressive, bold and energetic features, and that kind of stance we have provided in this vehicle," says Randhir Singh Kalsi from Maruti Suzuki India.

Earlier this year, India's Supreme Court continued its ban on registration of certain new diesel vehicles in Delhi until March 31.

That came as bad news for car makers Mercedes, Toyota and General Motors who petitioned against the ban.

With its unique shape and new hybrid engine, concept race car the Toyota TS030 Hybrid is getting lots of attention.

Though hybrid cars aren't popular in the Indian market, the influx of hybrid concepts and engines here suggests there'll be growth in that sector in years to come.

The World Health Organisation recently (1 February 2016) declared a global emergency over the explosive spread of the Zika virus, linked to birth defects in the Americas.

The ongoing emergency is even having an impact here at the auto show with India's Tata Motors being forced to rebrand a new hatchback vehicle it was previously planning to call 'Zica'.

Despite being unveiled here at the event with 'Zica' branding, Tata Motors senior official, Girish Wagh, says they plan not to use the name and will announce a new one in the coming weeks.

According to Wagh, Zica is an abbreviation of 'Zippy Car'.

"What we have made is a car which is meant for the youth of the country. It's a very zippy car, very good to drive around in the city, therefore we had named it as Zica," he says.

"However, you know this virus Zika has also come up and is kind of taking a shape of an epidemic so we are taking cognisance of that fact.

"We empathise with all those who have been suffering due to this and taking a call on this. Therefore, we have decided to change the name of the car."

Most cars sold in India have price tags of under $8,000 USD.

But global manufacturers are optimistic.

They say with an expanding middle class and growing urbanisation, there are long term prospects for growth in the Indian market.

Though the motor show opens to the public Friday (5 February), members of the media were invited for an advance press preview.

Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India - 3 February 2016

1. Wide of media waiting for unveiling of Chevrolet's concept car 'Beat Activ' at 2016 Auto Expo near New Delhi

2. Wide of unveiling of Chevrolet Beat Activ concept car and photographers taking pictures

3. Various of Chevrolet Beat Activ concept car

4. Various of Chevrolet Beat Activ concept car interior

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Tim Mahoney, Chief Marketing Officer Global Chevrolet and Global General Motors Marketing Operations Leader:

"The vehicle in many ways reflects kind of the DNA of Chevrolet. It gets really great styling, it's really youthful. I think it has a performance aspect to it because of the soft roader appeal. And also we expect if it were to really go, really great value that it could offer."

6. Mid of Chevrolet Essentia on display

7. Various of people sitting in Chevrolet Essentia

8. Various of Chevrolet Corvette on display

9. Various of Chevrolet Trailblazer on display

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Tim Mahoney, Chief Marketing Officer Global Chevrolet and Global General Motors Marketing Operations Leader:

"Chevrolet is sold in 115 markets around the world but India's really in our top ten. It's a priority market for us. Lots of potential. And you can see it here our investment in the stand, in the display, the products that we're bringing. We plan to bring over the next five years, ten new products to market here in India."

11. Wide of Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif launching the Jaguar XE sports saloon

12. Close of Jaguar logo

13. Mid of Katrina Kaif and Jaguar XE sports saloon

14. Various of Range Rover

15. Various of Maruti Suzuki's Vitara Brezza being unveiled at motor show

15. Various of Maruti Suzuki's Vitara Brezza exterior and interior

16. Close of Maruti Suzuki's logo on Vitara Brezza

17. SOUNDBITE (English) Randhir Singh Kalsi, Executive Director Maruti Suzuki India:

"The young customer, the third generation customer, who is considering his car as an extension of his personality, he likes to have this kind of aggressive, bold and energetic features, and that kind of stance we have provided in this vehicle."

18. Pan right of Toyota stand at motor show

19. Close of Toyota TS030 Hybrid on display

20. Wide of motor show floor

21. Wide of Audi Prologue concept on display

22. Wide of Nissan stand

23. Wide of Nissan X-Trail on display with photographers taking pictures of engine

24. Mid of Nissan hybrid engine on display

25. Wide of Nissan X-Trail rear

26. Various of Renault R.S. 01 sports car on display

27. Tilt up to woman posing with Renault Eolab hybrid concept car

28. Close of Renault Eolab wheel

29. Various of Renault Eolab interior and exterior

30. Wide of BMW's R nineT (left) and BMW S 1000 XR (right) on display at BMW stand

31. Tilt down of BMW R nineT

32. Wide of Mahindra's stand at 2016 Auto Expo

33. Wide of visitor standing on modified Mahindra Thar

34. Close of off-road tyres installed on modified Mahindra Thar

35. Wide of unveiling of Tata Motors' Zica and Hexa models

36. Close of Tata Motors' Zica after unveiling

37. Wide of Tata Motors Chairman Cyrus Mistry (left) and Tim Leverton, Head of Tata Engineering and Research Development (right), posing for photographers with recently unveiled Tata Zica

38. SOUNDBITE (English) Girish Wagh, Program Planning and Project Management Passenger Vehicles, Tata Motors:

"What we have made is a car which is meant for the youth of the country. It's a very zippy car, very good to drive around in the city, therefore we had named it as Zica. However, you know this virus Zika has also come up and is kind of taking a shape of an epidemic, so we are taking cognisance of that fact. We empathise with all those who have been suffering due to this and taking a call on this. Therefore, we have decided to change the name of the car."

39. Various of 1970 Datson Bluebird 1600 SSS on display at Datsun stand

FRANCE CAR SHOW

SOURCE: AP TELEVISION NEWS

RESTRICTIONS: TECHNOLOGY CLIENTS ONLY

LENGTH: 4:05

SHOTLIST:

1. Various exteriors of Paris Auto Show

2. Various interiors of Paris Auto Show

3. Pan down from Dodge stand sign to Dodge car with hostess standing next to it

4. Close up of Dodge hostess

5. Pan down from Venturi stand sign to Venturi Astrolab electro-solar car

6. Pan up from front of Astrolab to wide of Astrolab

7. Various close ups of solar system on Astrolab

8. SOUNDBITE (French) Marianne Hollande, Venturi Automobiles Marketing Manager :

"We are the first in the world to present Astrolab, an electro-solar vehicle. It uses the sunlight to recharge its batteries. It is an inter-urban vehicle with a maximum speed of 120 kilometres (119 miles) and a 110 kilometre (68 mile) autonomy. Right now, it is only a concept car but it will soon be commercialised."

9. Pan down from Landwind stand sign to Landwind X-pedition vehicle

10. Pan of vehicle

11. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Min Li, Asia Auto External Affairs with China :

"The French and German markets being important ones, we would like to start with them before expanding to other world markets."

12. Close up of Landwind brand sign

13. Pan left of Toyota stand

14. Computer monitor in front of Toyota Prius Hybrid

15. Tilt up to Toyota Prius Hybrid cut in half

16. Close up of Prius Hybrid engine

17. SOUNDBITE (English) Colin Hensley, Toyota Europe General manager,:

"In a normal start up situation, you are going to start up in electric mode just with the electric motor driving you, so you pull away silently. When you need some more power as you start to accelerate, gasoline engine would start up as well seamlessly and continuously, you can accelerate on. As you accelerate hard, you then get a combination of power from the gasoline engine, power from the battery driving the electric motor to give you the acceleration and torque that you want."

18. Pan from visitors to Toyota Prius Hybrid

19. Pan from SAAB hostess to SAAB Aero X concept car

20. SOUNDBITE (French) Stephane Huguet, SAAB spokesman :

"When you use petroleum which is a fossil energy stuck in the ground, there is carbon in it, you take this carbon out and transform it and put it in a car and reject it outside. During photosynthesis, plants will absorb a part of it put not everything so you keep on adding CO2 to the atmosphere. When you use ethanol, ethanol is an alcohol made out of beet, sugar cane or wheat fermentation, you take this CO2 out of plants, you transform it and then consume it. And that CO2 taken out of the atmosphere is rejected in the same quantity. So it is a closed circle that does not add CO2 to the atmosphere. That is why we say that in the long run we could reject 75 percent less CO2 than what is used with a fossil energy."

21. Various of SAAB S9-3 Cabriolet Hybrid Biopower concept car

23. Various of SAAB S9-3 Cabriolet Hybrid Biopower engine

25. Visitors in Paris car show

LEAD IN:

Pushing hybrid technology ever further, a number of environmentally friendly vehicles are on display at this year's Paris Auto Show.

STORYLINE:

Motor companies from around the world displayed their 2008 models at the Paris Motor Show.

The Mondial de L'Automobile is expected to showcase more than 60 new designs and concept cars from manufacturers from Detroit to China, and is expected to draw more than a (m) million visitors.

While some vehicle manufacturers stick to tried and tested vehicles and displays, others push the boundaries of technology.

With a greater demand for cleaner cars many manufacturers displayed the latest environmentally friendly designs, including the latest in hybrid technology.

Many hybrid cars incorporate a mixture of technologies such as internal combustion engines, electric motors, battery (electricity) hydrogen and fuel.

And car maker Venturi were in a league of their own with their electro-solar car the Astrolab.

According to Venturi the vehicle can reach a top speed of 120 kilometre per hour (119 miles per hour).

Marianne Hollande from Venturi Automobiles says they are the first company in the world to produce such a car.

It is currently only made-to-order for around Euro92, 000 (US$116, 000).

As well as carmakers from the US and Europe, this years car show also welcomed a number of car manufacturers from China.

On show was the Landwind X-pedition made by JiangLing, the first Chinese car to be sold in Europe.

Asia Auto External Affairs with China spokesperson Min Li says the European market is very important to them.

But along with the less familiar names were household vehicle manufacturers.

The Toyota Prius Hybrid runs on both petrol and an emissions-free electric motor.

Colin Hensley, Toyota's General manager in Europe, explains how the engines work.

While the SAAB Aero X, a fossil free hybrid concept car, has been seen at a number of car shows this year.

Stephane Huguet, SAAB spokesman explains the how the biofuel engine is better for the environment.

SAAB also had it's new S9-3 cabriolet Hybrid Biopower concept car on display.

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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:

1. Wide pan of showroom floor at 2007 International Auto Show

2. Mid of man lowering movie screen on the Suzuki Flix car

3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Gene Brown, Vice President of Marketing, Suzuki:

"Well, the basic concept behind Flix is to take the key features of our all new midsize XL-7, our largest, most powerful and most luxurious vehicle we've ever offered, and sort of exaggerate them in a concept vehicle to help get the idea through. And the two key ideas of XL-7 that are accentuated here are very progressive styling of the vehicle, brought to life with a lot of theatre touches like theatre lighting in this vehicle and also our first ever in-vehicle entertainment system. And of course in this case we've taken the entertainment system to a greater extreme with the Flix and a big 50-inch high res (resolution) screen."

4. Tight of Flix sound system

5. Close up of Flix car movie screen

6. Close up of of Flix car projector

7. Pull out from GM logo to dancers dancing around vehicles

8. Medium of dancers dancing around GM vehicles

9. Cut away to close up of photographers

10. Wide pan from audience members throwing balls to stage, UPSOUND (English): "Vote now!"

11. SOUNDBITE (English) David Lyon, General Motors Executive Director of Design for Asia-Pacific:

"And we've done an exercise here in creating GM-Daewoo. It is the 'home room,' we call it, it is the centre for expertise for mini cars for General Motors, and we wanted to look at, and, well maybe if we made small cars, mini cars, more compelling that people would buy it for some other reason than price and fuel economy. They'll buy it because they love the car, because the image is right for them, it has the right mood and character, and they get an inexpensive car with great fuel economy kind of along for the ride.'"

12. Mid of the back of a Toyota Highlander

13. Close up pan of Toyota Highlander logo to logo, reads: "Hybrid Synergy Drive"

14. SOUNDBITE: (English) J.C. Chitwood, Senior Strategic Planner for Toyota Advanced Technologies :

"Well, we'll be introducing, as I said, the hybrid in more and more of our models, and we also believe that hybrid technology can be combined with different fuel sources so whether in the future that's bio diesel or ethanol or fuel cell, that the addition of the Hybrid technology increases the efficiency of whatever you put it with."

15. Pan of show room floor

16. Mid of women working on car engine

17. Wide of showroom floor

18. Wide of exterior of building where show being held

STORYLINE:

With flashy names, bold designs, technological advances and "eco-friendly" rides, the 1,000 cars and trucks at the New York Auto Show 2007 burst onto the scene on Wednesday.

And while fuel efficiency and 'green' cars seemed to be the theme of the day, the coolest thing on the floor was the ultra-extravagant "flix" from Suzuki.

Based on the Suzuki XL-7, the SUV has a clamshell roof that reveals a movie screen. Inside, a complete entertainment system and high-quality sound system completes the package.

Gene Brown, Vice President of Marketing, said Suzuki's 'concept' car is a special-order vehicle, with exaggerated features.

"The two key ideas of XL-7 that are accentuated here are very progressive styling of the vehicle brought to life with a lot of theatre touches like theatre lighting in this vehicle and also our first ever in-vehicle entertainment system. And of course in this case we've taken the entertainment system to a greater extreme with the Flix and a big 50-inch high res (resolution) screen," he said.

General Motors had an entirely different concept in mind with the launch of their triplets: three new models of mini, fuel efficient cars.

Hoping to boost its presence in the ultra-small car market, the company chose the Auto Show to unveil a trio of new Chevrolet mini car concept vehicles designed to grab the attention of young car buyers in urban markets around the world.

The cars, launched with a rock and roll beat and dancers, are called the Beat, a front-wheel drive three-door hatchback powered by a 1.2-litre turbo charged gasoline engine; the Groove, a retro looking front-wheel drive car with a 1-litre diesel engine; and the Trax an 'urban crossover' with an all-wheel-drive system and a 1-litre gas engine.

The cars are not yet in production.

In a novel, interactive move, consumers will have a say in which of those cars eventually hits dealer lots by voting for their favourite model on a GM Web site.

While the vote won't be the final determination on which car is produced, company officials will take it into account when making their decision, they said.

The cars are the first product of what GM is calling its minicar "homeroom," which is a collaboration between GM and Daewoo, as David Lyon, General Motors Executive Director of Design for Asia-Pacific, explained.

"It is the centre for expertise for mini cars for General Motors, and we wanted to look at, well maybe if we created small cars, mini cars, more compelling that people would buy it for some other reason than price and fuel economy. They'll buy it because they love the car, because the image is right for them, it has the right mood and character, and they get an inexpensive car with great fuel economy kind of along for the ride," he said.

GM hopes the vehicles also could give the world's largest automaker a bigger foothold in the growing mini car market, which is largely dominated by the Japanese automakers.

The triplets might sell for as low as 10 thousand US dollars.

GM also hopes the new vehicles will boost Chevrolet's presence as a global brand and plans to market them in urban markets around the world, where mini cars already enjoy greater popularity.

Toyota was also on the floor this year, the tenth anniversary of its hybrid.

"Well, we'll be introducing, as I said, the hybrid in more and more of our models," J.C. Chitwood, Senior Strategic Planner for Toyota Advanced Technologies, explained.

"We also believe that hybrid technology can be combined with different fuel sources so whether in the future that's biodiesel or ethanol or fuel cell, that the addition of the Hybrid technology increases the efficiency of whatever you put it with," she said.

The 2007 New York International Automobile Show opens to the public on Friday, April 6th and runs until April 15th at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan.

SHOTLIST:

AP Television

Frankfurt, Germany - September 14, 2011

1. Mid of row of Smart electric cars plugged into recharging points

2. Mid side shot of Smart "electric drive"

3. Close of battery charger, zoom out to rear of Smart electric drive

4. Mid of prototype carbon chassis of Mercedes SLS AMG E-Cell

5. Mid front three quarters of acid green Mercedes SLS AMG E-Cell

6. Mid, low angle of Mercedes B-Class F-Cell

7. Mid, side view of Mercedes B-Class F-Cell

8. Cutaway of Dieter Zetsche, CEO Mercedes-Benz, speaking to journalist

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Dieter Zetsche, CEO, Mercedes-Benz:

"We will start with a significantly higher volume of production in 2014 and we foresee in the year 2016, at the latest 17, to accomplish a cost position which is equal or similar to Diesel Hybrid. So within these five to six years we are not only technically but economically fully competitive with this new drive-train as well."

10. Mid of Mercedes B-Class F-Cell, hydrogen fuel pump in foreground

11. Close of recharging station pull out to Porsche Boxster E

12. Close low angle of Porsche Boxster E as visitor opens door

13. Wide of Volkswagen "up!" logo

14. Wide of Volkswagen "up!" cars on stand

15. Mid of white Volkswagen "up!", pull out to wide

16. Mid rear of Volkswagen concept "up!" Azzurra beach car

17. Mid rear of Volkswagen single passenger concept "Nils"

18. Close of Volkswagen concept "Nils"

19. SOUNDBITE (German) Dr. Natascha K�nstner, Volkswagen Research and Development:

"Nils" is a concept car by VW Research and it focuses on micro-mobility, that is to say, urban mobility. It is a single-passenger vehicle, because studies have shown that 70 percent of commuters drive less than 25 kilometres to work, and that 90 percent drive by themselves. That is why it is a single-passenger concept."

20. Close pan right of Volkswagen concept "Nils"

21. Wide of Volkswagen concept "Nils"

22. Close pan right of Audi "urban concept"

23. Close of grille of BMW i8 concept, pull to wide

24. Mid of BMW i8 concept, rotating on stand

25. Mid of BMW i8 concept interior

26. Wide of Rimac Automobili "concept one"

27. Mid of concept one interior

28. SOUNDBITE (Croatian) Mate Rimac, automotive designer and founder of Rimac Automobili:

"Frankfurt Motor Show is the biggest automobile exhibition in the world and we have come here to present our concept. The whole industry is here and our aim is to network and present our work looking at its best."

29. Close of battery block used in Rimac Automobili "concept one"

30. Wide of Rimac Automobili "concept one"

31. Wide of Toyota Prius stand

32. Close of Lithium-ion battery as used in Toyota Prius+, pull out to mid of battery and Prius+ in background

33. Close of Lithium-ion battery, pull out to mid of chassis and wheel

34. Close of Hybrid Synergy Drive engine, pull out to Prius+

Frankfurt, Germany - September 13, 2011

35. Mid side shot of Renault Twizy concept

36. Close pan left of recharging station plug to hooked-up recharger in front side of Renault Twizy concept

37. Wide of Renault Twizy concept

38. Mid of Renault Scenic, with pink vintage Renault in background

39. Close of side of Renault Scenic, reading: 115g/km CO2, Renault eco2

LEAD IN:

The Frankfurt Motor Show is the biggest in the world and is the place to see what tomorrow''s cars today - from zany concept cars to hi-tech hydrogen fuel technology.

There''s no need for a crystal ball, here''s what the car makers think we will be driving in the future.

STORYLINE:

Is this what the garage of the future looks like? A line up of cars plugged into power sockets.

Urban car maker Smart certainly thinks so.

The future drives into town at this year''s IAA Frankfurt Motor Show with manufacturers showing off the latest innovations in hybrid and electric-powered vehicles.

These Smart cars have ditched their traditional one-litre petrol engines for a Tesla lithium-ion battery pack.

These near-production models show what the cars will look like when they hit showrooms in the second quarter of 2012.

The battery has a range of nearly 90 miles and the car has a top speed of 75mph.

Smart is boasting a sprightly performance of 0-40 mph in around five seconds.

At Mercedes, the SLS AMG E-Cell is on display in bright acid green, packing 533 horsepower this fully electric vehicle. Mercedes claim acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in just four seconds. Enough to embarrass most gas-guzzling, petrol-powered sports cars away from the lights.

The B-Class F-Cell (fuel cell) runs from another power source altogether - hydrogen.

It has been produced in a limited edition of just 200 units, for select customers. To prove the hydrogen concept works, the cars was driven around the world on all five continents

Mercedes-Benz CEO Dieter Zetsche believes sales of hydrogen vehicles will soon match those of diesel hybrids:

"We will start with a significantly higher volume of production in 2014 and we foresee in the year 2016, at the latest 17, to accomplish a cost position which is equal or similar to Diesel Hybrid. So within these five to six years we are not only technically but economically fully competitive with this new drive-train as well."

On the Volkswagen stand, a new four-seater urban model called the "up!" is attracting attention.

The German car maker is calling the class a New Small Family car.

The basic version comes with a one-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine capable of either 60 or 75bhp.

The Volkswagen "up!" starts at an affordable 9,850 Euros (USD 13,642).

Along with the release of the "up!", which is intended for mass production, several concept studies are on show, including the "up! Azzurra", conceived as a ''beach car''.

Volkswagen is also showing off its single-passenger study "Nils", focusing on urban mobility and single commuters.

Dr. Natascha K�nstner, Volkswagen Research and Development says: "Nils" is a concept car by VW Research and it focuses on micro-mobility, that is to say, urban mobility. It is a single-passenger vehicle, because studies have shown that 70 percent of commuters drive less than 25 kilometres to work, and that 90 percent drive by themselves. That is why it is a single-passenger concept."

Audi has come up with its own similar one-seater study called "urban concept".

It comes with a carbon-fibre monocoque chassis with 21-inch wheels covered by protective plates. A sliding canopy provides access to the car, much like a fighter jet.

At BMW, the "i8" plug-in hybrid concept was all the rage.

It''s a sports car capable of 0-60mph in four and a half seconds and with a top-speed of 155mph.

The four seater "i8" combines an electric motor with a three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine producing 220bhp.

The world''s biggest automotive manufacturers are here, but so are some of the smallest, but they don''t lack ambition.

Croatian up-and-coming automotive designer Mate Rimac presented his "concept one" sports car.

According to Rimac, it is the most powerful fully electric performance vehicle in the world packing a white-knuckle 1,088bhp.

He says: "Frankfurt Motor Show is the biggest automobile exhibition in the world and we have come here to present our concept. The whole industry is here and our aim is to network and present our work looking at its best."

The idea for his car came after the team converted an old BMW into a superfast electric race car. Rimac Automobili "concept one" is the result.

At Toyota, holding the majority of patents in hybrid technology, changes to the popular Prius series were presented.

Toyota managed to add an optional third row of seating in its Prius+ due to innovations in making the lithium batteries it uses lighter and smaller.

At Renault, which is on the forefront of affordable hybrid and electric models, the fully electric one-seater study "Twizy" was presented.

The Frankfurt Motor Show continues until September 25, 2011.

SHOTLIST:

1. Various of BMW Vision EfficientDynamics car

2. Tilt down from Opel and Vauxhall signs to Opel Ampere

3. Zoom in on Opel Ampere

4. Set up of technology analyst from ADAC (Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club or German Automobile Club)

5. SOUNDBITE: (German) Manfred Gross, Technology Analyst, ADAC :

"At the moment there are a lot of limitations on electric cars. The corresponding battery technology is very expensive, they are limited in their range compared to cars with combustion engines and we can not look at them as an environmental solution for tomorrow. But we are talking about a time frame of ten years and we will see at the car show in ten years time what really happens - if they are practical and if they are in competition to the combustion engines we have today."

6. Wide of Toyota Auris Hybrid being dusted

7. Wide of Toyoto stand

8. Close up of of sign reading "Hybrid Synergy Drive"

9. Close of Toyota Hybrid engine

10. Wide of Mercedes F-cell

11. Close of sign reading "F-Cell - BlueEFFICIENCY"

12. Various of Renault electric concept cars

13. Interior of concept car

14. Wide of motor show

STORYLINE:

Car manufacturers unveiled a range of electric cars and hybrid engines at this year's Frankfurt Auto Show, which opened to media on Tuesday.

Companies from Volkswagen AG to Hyundai Motor Co. took part with a particular focus on designs that eschew traditional combustion engines in favour of more environmentally friendly electric motors or a hybrid blend of both.

Analysts expect global production of purely electric cars to expand rapidly in the coming years. IHS Global Insight forecasts an increase from nearly 9,500 this year to more than 58,000 in 2011.

New offerings included BMW's Vision EfficientDynamics, a plug-in diesel-electric hybrid, and the Opel Ampere.

Toyota had new models on show including the first plug-in version of Toyota's Prius hybrid, which can have its batteries charged at a household outlet.

Renault displayed several electric concept cars and Mercedes offered up the F-Cell, which sports a fuel cell and an electric motor.

Technology analyst at ADAC (Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club, the German Automobile Club), Manfred Gross, said electric cars are still limited because the technology is expensive.

He added electric vehicles may be comparable to the standard combustion engine in ten years time.

The 63rd Frankfurt Auto Show is scheduled to open to the public on September 17.

SHOTLIST:

1. Wide of General Motors (GM) display at the Los Angeles Auto Show

2. Close-up of GM logo

3. Side-on view of a Chevrolet car

4. Close-up Chevrolet logo

5. Mid of orange Dodge car

6. Close-up of radiator grill on car

7. Wide of Chrysler display

8. Close-up of Chrysler logo

9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Mark Fields, Ford Motor Company:

"But what will power us through this is very simply great product. Fuel efficient cars, trucks and crossovers."

10. Wide of Fields addressing audience

11. Close-up of Ford logo

12. The unveiling of 2010 Ford Fusion on stage

13. Various of Ford fusion car

14. SOUNDBITE: (English) Aaron Bragman, Global Insight:

"It means they're serious. It means that right now they are really fighting for their lives. They are spending all their time basically in Washington and at home, trying to make sure they are going to have a future, right now it's more important for them to be in Detroit and to be in Washington, trying to get some cash out of the government, than it is to be here."

15. Various of the Mini Cooper fuel efficient car

16. SOUNDBITE: (English) Wolfgang Armbrecht, BMW: (++audio as incoming++)

"We found out and we're absolutely convinced about it, there is this greener trend as we described before. Not only here in California - it's in other places in the United States as well, but it is also the case in Europe and Asia."

17. Tilt up of Honda Civic Hybrid

18. SOUNDBITE: (English) Dan Bonawitz, American Honda Motor Group:

"We are in the midst of a very challenging period in the history of our industry and the events of recent months have proven that none of us is immune to the impacts from a contracting economy, stalled credit market and collapsing consumer confidence."

19. Close-up of Hybrid sign

20. Various of vehicles on the Hummer stand

21. Pan across a BMW fuel efficient car

STORYLINE:

Chrysler and General Motors continued to show off their latest model vehicles at the Los Angeles Auto Show on Wednesday but their displays were noticeably quieter than usual as Asian and European companies unveiled their own new models that will likely chip away at the US market share.

Casting a shadow on the annual event's glitz was the absence of press conferences or new vehicle debuts from GM or Chrysler, whose top executives were in Washington DC pleading for 25 (b) billion dollar government bailout package they say they need simply to stay in business.

General Motors Corporation's space showcased its Chevrolet Volt, the extended-range electric vehicle expected to go on sale in late 2010.

Chrysler's display included its three electric prototypes, a Dodge, Jeep and Town & Country EV, one of which it plans to put in showrooms around the same time.

Normally, however, they would have a stronger presence, unveiling important new models and concept cars and sending top executives to meet the press.

A year ago, GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz introduced a new hybrid Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck, its first full-size hybrid truck and the concept version of the now much-anticipated Volt.

In 2006, GM's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Rick Wagoner, was the keynote speaker and the company unveiled a hydrogen-powered concept vehicle.

Wagoner however was in Washington this week, appearing before a House Financial Services Committee.

Ford Motor Company maintained a larger presence at the show, although its CEO, Alan Mulally, also appeared before the House Financial Services Committee in Washington on Wednesday.

His company unveiled the 2010 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan sedans and new hybrid gas-electric versions that the Dearborn, Michigan, company hopes will take sales away from the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord.

Chrysler brushed aside criticism for not revealing a new model after announcing its electric models at its Auburn Hills, Michigan, headquarters in September.

The auto industry's health is worst in the US, where high gas prices sparked a sales decline leading to last month's worst sales rate in 25 years.

But foreign companies also are starting to see sharp sales decreases as the economic slowdown spreads globally.

Nissan and its Japanese rivals, including Toyota and Honda, have cut their production plans and have slashed their profit estimates for the year.

But that didn't stop them from introducing new innovation on Wednesday.

Honda showed off a version of its new Insight gas-electric hybrid, which it plans to put on sale early next year.

It also unveiled a concept car that uses the company's hydrogen fuel cell technology in a lightweight, three-seat sports car with high performance potential.

Volkswagen AG unveiled a Touareg V-6 TDI sport utility vehicle as part of a showcase of diesel-powered technology it hopes will overcome tough emission requirements and Americans' memories of the smelly, noisy diesel vehicles of decades past.

Toyota's luxury division, Lexus, held the world premiere of its top-selling RX-series crossovers, including an all-new RX 450h hybrid with new features that improve fuel-efficiency.

BMW's Mini brand started things a day early by showing off an all-electric version of its eye-catching compact cars.

GM had planned to unveil its new Buick LaCrosse sedan at this week's show and Lutz was supposed to be back but the Detroit automaker scaled back its presence to focus on the company's financial problems.

The Detroit Three are seeking a federal rescue after GM and Ford reported burning through a combined 14.6 (b) billion dollars in the third quarter.

GM has said that it may not have enough cash to survive into next year and the situation for Chrysler appears similarly dire.

SHOTLIST:

AP Television

Los Angeles, 4 December 2009

1. Wide of L.A Auto Show cars

2. Medium of car split in two (Ford Taurus)

3. Wide of show

4. Medium of people looking at car

5. Medium of Honda P-NUT concept car

6. Medium of the Subaru concept car

7. Medium of the Audi concept car

8. Set up Brendan Flynn

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Brendan Flynn L.A Auto Show:

"Now it seems to be more of a clear path towards the electrification of the car in some aspect, but everyone is realising it's not going to be for two or three years, so in the interim there are lots of solutions for today that are both economic and affordable and fuel efficient."

10. Medium luxury car Hyundai Genesis

11. Zoom out of the plug in hybrid Toyota Prius

12. Tilt up EchoBoost display

13. Medium environmental sign

14. Zoom out Volkswagon Jetta clean diesel vehicle

15. Medium 2010 Audi A3 TDI 17

16. Close up sign on car "2010 green car of the year"

17. Medium of Audi A3 TDI 17

18. Medium of Honda compact car

19. Sign Ford Fiesta

20. Pullout of a white Ford Fiesta

21. Wide of green Mazda 2

22. Medium of a purple Ford Fiesta

23. Wide of car booth

24. Zoom out from luxury Chrysler 300

25. Wide of Mercedes Benz booth

26. SOUNDBITE (English) Brendan Flynn, L.A Auto Show:

"There has been an initial wave of early adopters, of hybrids and alternative fuel vehicles. There's a new wave of consumers that of course want good fuel economy, but they still want the same choices they've had in the past. So for example how you can still get the beloved Mustang, but it comes in a six cylinder twin-turbo that gets 30 miles per gallon, so you get a six cylinder that acts like an eight. So you can have your cake and eat it too. Nobody wants to be spending a lot of money at the gas pump, but they want the choices they've always been able to make."

27. Wide of auto show

28. Medium of visitors looking at engine on display

29. Wide of Mustang V-6

30. Wide of people looking at engine of Mustang

31. Close up of Mustang engine

32. Medium two people sitting in car

33. Medium of navigation system

34. Set up Octavio Navarro

35. SOUNDBITE (English) Octavio Navarro, Ford Motors:

"The other big trend you're going to see is in technology. People want to be able in integrate their phone, their music player, everything into the car. We have a system called SYNC which lets you control all that through blue tooth to contact to your things so you have no more extra wires hanging out everywhere but more importantly you can control everything by voice."

36. Zoom out Mini Cooper interior

37. Wide of Mini Cooper

38. SOUNDBITE (English) Octavio Navarro, Ford Motors:

"Everybody has vibrant colours, you know. Typically it would be black or grey, but you're really starting to see bright yellows and bright blues. Ford in particular, one of the things that we are introducing this year is the 2011 Fiesta, and one of my favourite colours for it is called Lime Squeeze, and the reason for that is it's a very vibrant, almost metallic yellowish green colour. It really pops really well on the street."

39. Zoom out of the Lime Squeeze Fiesta

40. Medium of yellow/gold Fiesta

41. Zoom out of the bright blue Fiesta

42. Set up of Dave Wrobell

43. SOUNDBITE (English) Dave Wrobell, Voxpop:

"I'm looking for colour. I'm looking for an interior that's exciting. I'm tired of grey, black. I want colour. I want something that is fun."

44. Set up of Jonathan Watson

45. SOUNDBITE (English) Jonathan Watson, Voxpop:

"Nowadays, I think most companies can make a car that's fast but still gets good fuel economy, that's what's really important, looks, speed, horsepower and gas mileage."

46. Medium interior Volkswagon concept car UP Lite concept car

47. Medium pan of Volkswagon UP Lite concept car

LEAD IN:

At the Los Angeles Auto Show, the trend for 2010 is for cars that are small, fuel efficient, practical, and with a price tag under $30,000 US Dollars, in recession-fighting bright colours.

But this year's show is subdued as exhibitors' cost-cutting efficiency mindset is setting the mood.

STORYLINE:

The LA auto show closes this year's car show season, but gone are the elaborate parties, major press conferences and abundant sexy models showing the wares.

Today's unofficial theme is "less is more".

Only a few luxury carmakers have made it to the show. The high-end Bentley, Ferrari, and Lamborghini brands are not in attendance.

This year, concept cars are everywhere, including headliners like the Honda P-Nut, Subaru Hybrid Tourer and the Audi A3 TDI clean diesel.

A move towards electric cars car be felt, but we're not just there yet, as Brendan Flynn, car expert and spokesman for the L.A Auto Show, explains.

"Now it seems to be more of a clear path towards the electrification of the car in some aspect, but everyone is realising it's not going to be for two or three years, so in the interim there are lots of solutions for today that are both economic and affordable and fuel efficient."

Due to these tough economic times and the price of oil in North America, automakers have been forced to listen to consumers' needs - which currently means fuel efficiency and environmentally friendly cars top the agenda.

Toyota had its North American debut of its long-awaited Prius plug-in hybrid concept car.

It was first presented in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

The annual Green Car of the Year award, sponsored by Green Car Journals, awarded the Audi A3 TDI clean diesel with first prize.

The North American debuts of the compact Chrysler Cruze, Ford Fiesta and the Mazda 2, are all bulls eye for the fuel-minded client.

The price of each is under $15,000 US Dollars.

As American carmakers try to get back on track, one has a larger booth than in the past.

Ford has the biggest floor space this year, expanding its area by 30%, as American carmakers try to compete with their Asian competitors.

In 2010, the big in-demand cars will be hybrids, such as the small luxury compact car Audi A3 TDI, that gets about 42 miles to the gallon and sells for under $30,000 US Dollars, as well as clean diesels that have been popular in Europe.

A big debut this year is the compact 4-cylinder Ford Fiesta which gets up to 30 miles per gallon.

The Mazda 2, which has been on sale since 2007, and has received 48 awards, is so similar to the Fiesta that observers are curious to see which demographic each attracts.

Luxury cars are at the show, but are not a common sight.

Flynn says people are so focused on fuel economy, but they're still fussy and demanding.

"There's a new wave of consumers that of course want good fuel economy, but they still want the same choices they've had in the past. So for example how you can still get the beloved Mustang, but it comes in a six cylinder twin-turbo that gets 30 miles per gallon, so you get a six cylinder that acts like an eight. So you can have your cake and eat it too. Nobody wants to be spending a lot of money at the gas pump, but they want the choices they've always been able to make."

The show also highlights the Mustang, America's favourite muscle car for 45 years in a row, redesigned with a new interior and exterior and a V-8 with more horsepower.

Also on trend watch, state-of-the-art sound in the inexpensive cars.

Octavio Navarro, Ford Motors spokesman, says that their cars' interior design will be dominated by connectivity technology.

"The other big trend you're going to see is in technology. People want to be able in integrate their phone, their music player, everything into the car. We have a system SYNC which lets you control all that through bluetooth to contact to your things so you have no more extra wires hanging out everywhere but more importantly you can control everything by voice."

Another big trend this year: brightly coloured cars.

Navarro says colour is a way for automakers to try to bring consumers out of their recession-dulled mood.

"Everybody has vibrant colours, you know. Typically it would be black or grey, but you're really starting to see bright yellows and bright blues. Ford in particular, one of the things that we are introducing this year is the 2011 Fiesta, and one of my favourite colours for it is called Lime Squeeze, and the reason for that is it's a very vibrant, almost metallic yellowish green colour. It really pops really well on the street."

But what do the show's visitors think?

Dave Wrobbel, a teacher from Pasadena, came wanting to get away from dull colours.

"I'm looking for colour. I'm looking for an interior that's exciting. I'm tired of grey, black. I want colour. I want something that is fun."

Jonathan Watson, a student from Rancho Cucamonga, says he still wants it all.

"What's really important, looks, speed, horsepower and gas mileage."

Besides the plug-in Prius, other hybrid and electric vehicle concepts on hand include the Volkswagen L1, with a two-cylinder, turbo-diesel hybrid motor and the world premiere of the groundbreaking Up! Lite hybrid concept car.

With up to 70 mpg on the highway and room for four adults, it's a combination of a Volkswagen TDI Clean Diesel engine, an advanced electric motor, and a seven-speed Direct Shift Gearbox.

The LA Auto Show runs through until the 13th December.