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

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.

German/Eng/Nat

Japanese and European car makers had their latest designs on display at this year's Tokyo motor show with innovations being found in the growth area of environmentally-friendly cars.

But the spotlight was stolen by Mercedes Benz which unveiled a new concept limousine - the "Maybach" which mixed classical with the modern.

All the major Japanese and European car makers are attending the Tokyo car show.

Honda was promoting its new mini passenger vehicle.

Nissan may not have had many new millennium designs, but they were certainly not short of practical designs.

This new model is perfectly suited for racing across the Sahara desert.

Mazda was a solid family car with more wedge in the front.

They hope these new weekend wagons will go down well with drivers who have young families to transport.

All Japanese car makers are giving greater attention to environmentally friendly vehicles this year.

With carbon monoxide emissions into the atmosphere reaching record levels and the hole in the ozone layer above the Antarctic growing every year, pressure is mounting on car makers to produce vehicles that do less damage to the environment.

SOUNDBITE:(Japanese)

"Some people seem to have jumped to the conclusion that electric cars will solve the problem of C-O-2. We have to be reminded that what ever car we make, we will use some sort of energy and we cannot avoid the environmental problem. What we should have to do now it to try and make a smaller car and a car which needs less fuel."

SUPER CAPTION: Osamu Suzuki, CEO and President of Suzuki

Honda has unveiled a Zero-Level Emission Vehicle, although that is a something of a misnomer as emissions are still not as low as those form electrical cars.

During tests, the engine was able to cut emissions of carbon monoxide, non-methane organic gases and nitrogen oxide to ten percent of the world's most stringent standards.

However Honda's chief executive wasn't sure when its new engine would be available in all its models.

SOUNDBITE:(English)

"We think we have to wait, we have to compete and.... finally the result will be decided by the environment itself."

SUPER CAPTION: Nobuhiko Kawamoto, Chief Executive and President of Honda

Meanwhile Mercedes Benz, which has merged with Daimler, stole the spotlight on the first day, unveiling to the world for the first time its new classic limousine for the future.

Retrospectively called the "Maybach" after the German car designer Wilhelm Maybach, the limousine remains in concept form.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"It has some details, some details which have been found in cars in the past some details which you could see in Mercedes cars in the past and therefore we want to show a little bit of tradition in this new car but I think the overall design is modern, or it is classical so to say."

SUPER CAPTION: Jurgen Hubbert, member of board, Daimler-Benz

SOUNDBITE: (German)

"It has some details, some details which have been found in cars in the past some details which you could see in Mercedes cars in the past and therefore we want to show a little bit of tradition in this new car but I think the overall design is modern, or it is classical so to say."

SUPER CAPTION: Jurgen Hubbert, member of board, Daimler-Benz

Company executives have not decided whether to put the design into production .

But new designs are not the only topic under discussion.

Trade issues are, as always, on the agenda.

The U-S continues to be unhappy with Japanese trade barriers against it cars despite a bilateral agreement two years ago.

The Europeans, however, are saying the Japanese market is very open, sales are at record levels in the world second biggest auto market.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"I think there are two things. One we have to have a strong organisation and the other one is you have to have the right product which differentiates yourself from the local manufacturers. If you don't have that you won't be successful."

SUPER CAPTION: Bernd Pischetsrieder, Chief Executive of BMW

And the Japanese motor giant, Mitsubishi continues to prove itself at the cutting edge of motoring.

This concept car of the future does not need to be driven, it drives itself while you sit back an enjoy the ride.

1. Wide shot of Tokyo motor show

2. Wide shot of Honda mini car.

3. Wide shot of new Toyota sports car

4. Wide shot of new Nissan sports car.

5. Pan across Mazda passenger cars

6. SOUNDBITE: (Japanese) Osamu Suzuki, CEO and President of Suzuki

7. Wide shot of Honda show.

8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Nobuhiko Kawamoto, CEO and President of Honda

9. New Daimler Benz's "Maybach"

10 SOUNDBITE: (English) Jurgen Hubbert, member of board, Daimler-Benz

11. Cutaway "Maybach" sign

12. SOUNDBITE: (German) Jurgen Hubbert, member of board, Daimler-Benz

13. Wide shot of new Chrysler luxury sports car.

14. BMW's new convertible.

15. SOUNDBITE: (English) Bernd Pischetsrieder, CEO of BMW

16. Wide shot of Mitsubishi concept car, HSR-VI (6)