LEADIN:

Toyota gave the automotive industry a hydrogen-powered kick at the International CES event in Las Vegas.

The Japanese car manufacturers announced they're set to make available thousands of hydrogen fuel cell patents royalty-free, in a bid to encourage the industry.

Toyota's new sporty-looking hydrogen-powered 'Mirai' is the backdrop for the Japanese auto makers press event at the International CES in Las Vegas.

Bob Carter, who is Senior Vice President of automotive operations at Toyota, explains the mechanics of the vehicle.

"The Toyota Mirai is a mid-sized, four-door sedan - its front wheels are driven by electric motors. The electricity that powers the motors is made on-board, on-demand, as needed by simply combining hydrogen with oxygen, producing zero emissions, other than water vapour."

In the middle of his speech - a moment of drama as the power cut.

"I got you covered," assured Carter, as he connected a wire from the Mirai to re-boot the power in the briefing room and light up a mock-up home on stage.

"This Mirai is capable of supplying enough energy to power your home essentials as well as all of your consumer electronics in an average home for up to a week, in the event of an emergency," explains Carter.

But the high-profile event wasn't about announcing a new vehicle or component, but about giving something away.

In a bid to encourage the hydrogen auto industry to flourish, Carter announced that Toyota is set to invite royalty-free use of approximately 5,680 fuel cell related patents.

That includes critical technologies developed for the new 'Mirai' - which means "the future" in Japanese.

The list includes approximately 1,970 patents related to fuel cell stacks, 290 associated with high-pressure hydrogen tanks, 3,350 related to fuel cell systems' software control and 70 patents related to hydrogen production and supply.

By releasing these patents, Toyota are hoping to encourage the industry to flourish.

"It's obvious that there can be a higher societal value in openly sharing our IP," says Carter.

"By eliminating the traditional corporate boundaries, we can speed the metabolism of everyone's research and development and move into a future of mobility, quicker, more effectively and more economically."

The Toyota executive ended his speech with a quote from former President Abraham Lincoln.

"'The best way to predict the future, is to create it'. And that's what we're doing at Toyota."

Toyota unveiled the 'Mirai' - their first ever hydrogen-powered vehicle - at a press event in Tokyo in November.

The success of the vehicle and other hydrogen cars depends on an infrastructure growing to encourage drivers to buy them.

Other Asian automakers, Honda and Hyundai, are also experimenting with limited sales and leases of fuel cell cars.

Automotive tech is set to be a big talking point at this year's International CES event in Las Vegas.

A variety of self-driving cars and integrated dashboards will demonstrate how seriously the car industry considers putting smart tech into their vehicles.

A record 10 automotive manufacturers are set to exhibit at the event including Toyota, Ford, BMW, Audi and Mercedes.

Automotive exhibits will cover over 165,000 square feet of event space, 17 percent more than last year.

The International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) will run 6-9 January 2015.

The annual technology event is set to showcase over 3,500 exhibitors including big tech companies like Sony, Samsung and LG.

AP Television

Las Vegas, US - 5 January 2015

1. Various of hydrogen-powered Toyota 'Mirai' vehicle

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Bob Carter, Senior Vice President, Toyota Motor Sales, Automotive Operations:

"'The future' is what the 'Mirai' means in Japanese, and it's arriving in October this year in the US. The Toyota Mirai is a mid-sized, four-door sedan - its front wheels are driven by electric motors. The electricity that powers the motors is made on-board, on-demand, as needed by simply combining hydrogen with oxygen, producing zero emissions, other than water vapour. Unlike other electric cars that rely on large batteries for power, this Mirai can be re-fuelled, as the doctor (Michio Kaku) said, in three to five minutes and travels up about 300 miles on a single fill-up. It will start up in the morning at minus 30 degrees Centigrade, below zero, and as many of you have already heard...(power cuts out) Wait just a moment, this happened in rehearsal - I got you covered (connects vehicle to power 'home' on stage). Now, as I was saying, as many of you already know - this Mirai is capable of supplying enough energy to power your home essentials as well as all of your consumer electronics in an average home for up to a week, in the event of an emergency."

3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Bob Carter, Senior Vice President, Toyota Motor Sales, Automotive Operations:

"Traditionally, intellectual properties are fiercely guarded, because they have great monetary value. But with programmes like the CSRC (Collaborative Safety Research Centre) Steve and our patent announcements today - it's obvious that there can be a higher societal value in openly sharing our IP. By eliminating the traditional corporate boundaries, we can speed the metabolism of everyone's research and development and move into a future of mobility, quicker, more effectively and more economically. Indeed, I believe that today marks a turning point in automotive history. I'm going to close with a quote that captures the idea from President Abraham Lincoln, who said: 'The best way to predict the future, is to create it'. And that's what we're doing at Toyota."

4. Close of screen reading: "Toyota. #ToyotaMirai"

5. Wide of Carter on stage, UPSOUND: (English) "Please accept my thanks for all of you coming and I hope you enjoy CES tomorrow. Good afternoon"; applause

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:

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:

1. Medium of hydrogen powered Audi vehicle driving.

2. Close up of General Motors hydrogen car.

3. Close up of Toyota fuel cell sign.

4. Close up of GM Hydrogen sign.

5. Medium of Volkswagen hydrogen powered car driving off.

6. Close up inside fuel cell car pan to road.

7. Close up of fuel cell display on dashboard.

8. Wide of outside of car.

9. Medium of Toyota fuel cell car in traffic.

10. SOUNDBITE: (English) Jeffrey Serfass, President, National Hydrogen Association

"With hydrogen you can produce this transportation fuel from wind energy, nuclear energy, coal. All forms of energy that you cannot put in your tank by themselves but you can convert to hydrogen. That's the magic of hydrogen, you might think of as electricity in that you can produce it from anything. When you use it you use it very cleanly."

11. Wide of Long Beach Convention Centre.

12. Close up of Hydrogen Conference sign.

13. Wide of conference exhibit hall.

14. Close up of Honda fuel cell engine.

15. Close up of Honda sign.

16. Wide of hydrogen powered police car.

17. Close up of sign.

18. Close up of 'hydrogen patrol' sign on police car.

19. Wide of hybrid fuel cell/battery motorbike.

20. SOUNDBITE: (English) Tim Foster, Intelligent Energy.

"It's been designed with a one kilowatt intelligent energy fuel cell that runs on stored hydrogen, compressed hydrogen as the fuel and a five kilowatts battery so we continuously recharge the battery as we are driving. We will achieve fifty miles per hour and it gets the equivalent of 760 miles to the gallon if you compare it to a gasoline engine motorcycle."

21. Medium of motorbike.

22. Close up of hydrogen fuelling point.

23. Wide of fuel cell vehicle.

24. Wide of BMW hydrogen display.

25. Close up of BMW hydrogen engine.

26. SOUNDBITE: (English) Jeffrey Serfass, President, National Hydrogen Association.

"There is a very light noise that is the compressors that vary with speed that provide a little bit of pressure to the gasses: Argon and the air into the fuel cell. I think in the long run we will find these vehicles to be absolutely quiet and provide a comfort in terms of the sound that's superior to today's vehicles but interestingly a rather peppy and fun vehicle to drive."

27. Close up of hydrogen fuel line being attached to refuel vehicle.

28. Close up of hydrogen fuel station display.

29. Wide of hydrogen fuelling station.

SUGGESTED LEAD IN :

Environmental concerns often feature prominently on the international news agenda.

Concerns about carbon emissions and political instability in some oil producing regions, has prompted some US car manufacturers to begin to think about designing alternative vehicle fuels.

VOICEOVER :

The American love affair with the car, continues unabated.

But now more American car owners are concerned about the environmental impact of their car addiction.

The National Hydrogen Association (NHA) recently held it's annual conference ambitiously slated: "Global Progress Toward Clean Energy", in Long Beach, California.

Hydrogen powered vehicles from major auto makers, like General Motors, Toyota, Honda, Audi and Volkswagen offered rides in these cars of the future.

The fuel cell vehicle use hydrogen as a fuel source.

When hydrogen and oxygen are supplied, the fuel cell makes electricity to power the vehicle's electric motor.

There are no polluting emissions from the fuel cell, only water and heat.

Jeffrey Serfass is the president of the National Hydrogen Association, a trade group made up of industry, government and academia to promote hydrogen use.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"With hydrogen you can produce this transportation fuel from wind energy, nuclear energy, coal. All forms of energy you cannot put in your tank by themselves but you can convert to hydrogen. That's the magic of hydrogen, you might think of as electricity in that you can produce it from anything. When you use it you use it very cleanly."

SUPERCAPTION: Jeffrey Serfass, President, National Hydrogen Association

The NHA hydrogen conference was attended by over one thousand energy industry experts, policy-makers, and technology developers from around the world to discuss the future of hydrogen power and fuel cells.

The Long Beach Convention Centre exhibit hall displayed all the latest technology from global giants including fuel cell vehicles from Honda as well as smaller hydrogen technology companies.

One of the displays was a fuel cell vehicle mock up of a California Highway Patrol vehicle dubbed a 'Hydrogen Patrol' car with: 'To serve and protect the environment inscribed on the front, it was built by a California technology company, Hydrogen Vehicles Systems.

HVS converts existing vehicles making hydrogen internal combustion cars and trucks that burn hydrogen directly.

A hybrid fuel cell and battery motorcycle from a British company: 'Intelligent Design' has an impressive fuel economy of 760 miles (1222 kilometres) per gallon compared to a gasoline powered motorcycle.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"It's been designed with a one kilowatt intelligent energy fuel cell that runs on stored hydrogen, compressed hydrogen as the fuel and a five kilowatts battery so we continuously recharge the battery as we are driving. We will achieve fifty miles (80 kilometres) per hour and it gets the equivalent of 760 miles (1222 kilometres) to the gallon if you compare it to a gasoline engine motorcycle."

SUPERCAPTION: Tim Foster, Intelligent Energy

Intelligent Design produces fuel processing technologies and makes fuel cells in the US, UK and South Africa.

The Nation Hydrogen association's, Jeffrey Serfass believes the fuel cell cars of the future will be quiet, comfortable and fun to drive.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"There is a very light noise that is the compressors that vary with speed that provide a little bit of pressure to the gasses: argon and the air into the fuel cell. I think in the long run we will find these vehicles to be absolutely quiet and provide a comfort in terms of the sound that's superior to today's vehicles but interestingly a rather peppy and fun vehicle to drive."

SUPERCAPTION: Jeffrey Serfass, President, National Hydrogen Association

More electric cars are sold in San Francisco than anywhere else in the United States.

In a bid to encourage more Californians to fall in love with the environmentally friendly vehicles, the City is holding a week long "electric car fest".

SCRIPT

One in five purely electric cars in the United States was bought by San Franciscans this year.

Nearly a quarter of the nation's public plug in vehicle charging stations are located in California.

The electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla is outselling Porsches, Lincolns and Cadillacs in the state. Californians have bought 34,000 Toyota hybrid Priuses so far this year.

One Californian rental car company, City Car Share, is in the process of converting its entire fleet to electric.

To celebrate their affection for petrol free cars, a week of events is being held in San Francisco to show other drivers the benefits of all electric and plug in hybrid cars.

But nationwide, many consumers are still wary of electric cars, feeling they're too expensive, too slow and don't get enough miles per charge.

Organisers of "Charge Across Town" Electric Vehicle Week say the event in California aims to eliminate some of these misconceptions.

New EV models can get up to 300 miles per charge and a few models cost under 20 thousand dollars.

The new Ford Fusion 2014 is just over US $21,000.

"Some of the earlier electric vehicles didn't go very far, let's be honest," says Maureen Blanc, Director, Charge Across Town. "Now you can go up to 200, 300 miles in some of these vehicles and it's going to get better."

There are signs that car buyers in the the rest of the United States are turning to electric vehicles.

Plug-in vehicles that run entirely on battery power or that combine electric and gasoline drives represent less than 1% of total U.S. vehicle sales, but in the past three years their numbers have grown rapidly.

Sales nearly tripled in 2012 and are on track to nearly double this year, according to the trade group, Electric Drive Transportation Association.

August 2013 was a record-breaking month with 11,363 electric cars sold, a fifty per cent increase on the previous month.

Good news for environmentalists who say electric vehicles are much better for the environment compared to gas-guzzling cars

.

California has ambitious goals for lowering its carbon foot print and encouraging more drivers to buy electric cars forms a major part of it.

Its Zero Emissions Vehicle regulation (ZEV) requires that 1.4 million electric, plug-in hybrid, and fuel cell vehicles are sold in the state by 2025.

To help encourage new buyers, California's green and white High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) sticker programme allows solo drivers of electric cars and some plug-in hybrids to use the carpool lane.

The programme was due to expire in January 2015 but has been extended for another four years.

There is also more choice for drivers with twenty models on the market in the US.

"Two years ago we had one or two models out there," says Mike Harrigan, the Director of Electric Vehicle Program, City Car Share. "Tesla was ploughing fertile ground but nobody with a normal budget could afford to buy an electric car. Now there's probably 15-20 of plug in models available on the market."

New 2014 EV models available for test drives during the "Charge Across Town Week" include the new BMW i3 and the new Tesla Model X.

And fans of the Electric Vehicle say drivers should be in for a smooth ride.

"The beauty of an electric motor drive is that you get maximum torque out of your very first RPM," says Robert Langford, Manager of Plug In Vehicles Sales for Honda. "So acceleration from a standing start is superior actually to an internal combustion engine for the most part."

San Francisco USA September 23rd 2013

1. Wide shot 2014 Ford C-Max reversing into parking spot

2. Tilt down electric engine inside 2014 Nissan Leaf

3. Wide shot 2014 BMW i3

4. SOUNDBITE (English): Maureen Blanc - Director, Charge Across Town

"Some of the earlier electric vehicles didn't go very far, let's be honest. Now you can go up to 200, 300 miles in some of these vehicles and it's going to get better and I think every major car manufacturer, many of whom are here today, will tell you that their goal is to get their prices down, get the range up and let people really get to where they need to go and not have range anxiety."

5. Wide shot 2014 Tesla Model X

6. Close up interior of Tesla with large touch screen

7. SOUNDBITE (English): Mike Harrigan - Director of Electric Vehicle Program, City Car Share

"The vehicles themselves of course are much more plentiful. Two years ago we had one or two models out there. Tesla was ploughing fertile ground but nobody with a normal budget could afford to buy an electric car. Now there's probably 15-20 models of plug in models available on the market."

8. Close up Ford Fusion 2014

9. Close up $21,000 price tag

10. Wide shot Mitsubishi MiEV 2013

11. Close up Electric logo on MiEV

12. Wide shot BMW ActiveE 2013

13. SOUNDBITE (English): Robert Langford - Manager of Plug In Vehicles Sales, Honda

"The beauty of an electric motor drive is that you get maximum torque out of your very first RPM. So acceleration from a standing start is superior actually to an internal combustion engine for the most part. The smoothness of the drive without the shaking and vibration of an internal pistons going up and down and internal combustion explosions going on in the block make for a very comfortable drive."

14. Wide shot Toyota RAV 4 EV 2014

General Motors will cut up to 14,000 workers in North America and put five plants up for possible closure as it abandons many of its car models and restructures to focus more on autonomous and electric vehicles, the automaker announced Monday.

The reductions could amount to as much as 8 percent of GM's global workforce of 180,000 employees.

The restructuring reflects changing North American auto markets as manufacturers continue to shift away from cars toward SUVs and trucks. In October, almost 65 percent of new vehicles sold in the U.S. were trucks or SUVs. That figure was about 50 percent cars just five years ago.

GM is shedding cars largely because it doesn't make money on them, Citi analyst Itay Michaeli wrote in a note to investors.

The layoffs come amid the backdrop of a trade war between the U.S., China and Europe that likely will lead to higher prices for imported vehicles and those exported from the U.S. Barra said the company faces challenges from tariffs but she did not directly link the layoffs to them.

The planned reduction includes about 8,000 white-collar employees, or 15 percent of GM's North American white-collar workforce. Some will take buyouts while others will be laid off.

At the factories, around 3,300 blue-collar workers could lose jobs in the U.S. and another 2,600 in Canada, but some U.S. workers could transfer to truck or SUV factories that are increasing production. The cuts mark GM's first major downsizing since shedding thousands of jobs in the Great Recession.

General Motors Co.'s pre-emptive strike to get leaner before the next downturn likely will be followed by Ford Motor Co., which has said it is restructuring and will lay off an unspecified number of white-collar workers. Toyota Motor Corp. also has discussed cutting costs, even though it's building a new assembly plant in Alabama.

GM isn't the first to abandon much of the car market. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles got out of small and midsize cars two years ago, while Ford announced plans to shed all cars but the Mustang sports car in the U.S. in the coming years.

Factories that could be closed include assembly plants in Detroit and Oshawa, Ontario, and Lordstown, Ohio, as well as transmission plants in Warren, Michigan, and near Baltimore.

New York - 27 November 2018

1. Joseph Foudy, Professor of Economics, NYU Stern School of Business at desk

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Joseph Foudy, Professor of Economics, NYU Stern School of Business:

"This is a pretty significant cut when you consider that the company has been pretty successful since its turn around after the Great Recession. It's also happening at the top of the business cycle when the economy has been quite strong. And so I think it's quite surprising to a number of people but it tells you both where they think the car market is going as well as there are fears for the macro economy moving forward."

3. Foudy with charts

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Joseph Foudy, Professor of Economics, NYU Stern School of Business:

"There's three different issues I think they're facing. Number one is it's clearly continuing to move away from sedans and towards SUVs and so the factories being closed are really a further sort of move away from the car market towards crossovers and SUVs. Secondly they worry that the overall car market is going to be slowing down - that the economy is right now sort of at its peak and it's hard to imagine it's going to do better moving forward. The third thing they have to worry about is just a change towards both electric and self-driving cars along with that you know changes in car ownership. You know they see a world in which there are fewer car sales, cars last longer and the nature of car technology will be quite different."

5. Foudy explaining chart

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Joseph Foudy, Professor of Economics, NYU Stern School of Business:

"They know that capital investment in these new technologies is going to be in the billions. And so they're trying to get ahead of this curve."

7. General Motors chart

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Joseph Foudy, Professor of Economics, NYU Stern School of Business:

"You know they're trying to position themselves for a piece of that where they don't sell cars but sell services or rides. Whether they can do that I think is a really open question and I'd be a bit skeptical but they see a wave coming and they're trying to get ahead of it."

9. Foudy at desk

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Joseph Foudy, Professor of Economics, NYU Stern School of Business:

"Well the tariff cost, tariffs are adding to the cost of steel and other raw materials and so that's sort of increasing the pressure that the companies on. But this is really a broader reaction to where they think the economy and the car market is going."

11. Wide of Foudy

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Joseph Foudy, Professor of Economics, NYU Stern School of Business:

"And you know there's a short term cyclical trend where they think the car market and the economy may soften over the next year or two. But there's a longer term trend where they really think we're moving to electric cars where we're moving to self driving cars that they think the market is fundamentally changing."

13. Foudy at computer

14. SOUNDBITE (English) Joseph Foudy, Professor of Economics, NYU Stern School of Business:

"So innovation is shorthand for electric and autonomous vehicles not just in the United States but they think they could be launching about 20 models over the next couple of years that are electric in China. GM now sells more cars in China than it does in the United States."

15. Foudy with desk

16. SOUNDBITE (English) Joseph Foudy, Professor of Economics, NYU Stern School of Business:

"The average car quality is going up you routinely run into people whose cars are over 100,000 miles that have very few problems. The industry is a victim of its own success in that the average quality of an American car has jumped enormously. We don't see any difference now between American or Japanese carmakers."

17. Foudy upward view

18. SOUNDBITE (English) Joseph Foudy, Professor of Economics, NYU Stern School of Business:

"Electric cars in contrast to the internal combustion engine have far fewer parts and will last much longer. Some people hypothesize that an electric car like a Chevy Volt or a Tesla could last a million miles before it wears out."

19. Foudy at computer

20. SOUNDBITE (English) Joseph Foudy, Professor of Economics, NYU Stern School of Business:

"There's a real risk around the world for car companies that they'll face increasing regulation on emissions - even if we don't focus on that in the United States right now with the current administration - they have to sell cars for China and for Europe where emission standards are only going to get tougher and tougher."

21. Foudy talking

22. SOUNDBITE (English) Joseph Foudy, Professor of Economics, NYU Stern School of Business:

"And so if you look at the layoffs it's 15,000 workers. The good news is this is happening during a period when the economy is relatively strong but the horrible news is that it's concentrated in a number of communities for whom it's going to be devastating. You know we had a bankruptcy of Toys R Us that was 30,000 employees twice as many. Toys R Us didn't even give severance packages to the vast majority of its employees. But Toys R Us is dispersed across the entire country. This is concentrated in a handful of industrial towns that you know really can't recover from this."

23. Foudy wide shot at desk

General Motors will cut up to 14,000 workers in North America and put five plants up for possible closure as it abandons many of its car models and restructures to focus more on autonomous and electric vehicles, the automaker announced Monday.

The reductions could amount to as much as 8 percent of GM's global workforce of 180,000 employees.

The restructuring reflects changing North American auto markets as manufacturers continue to shift away from cars toward SUVs and trucks. In October, almost 65 percent of new vehicles sold in the U.S. were trucks or SUVs. That figure was about 50 percent cars just five years ago.

GM is shedding cars largely because it doesn't make money on them, Citi analyst Itay Michaeli wrote in a note to investors.

The layoffs come amid the backdrop of a trade war between the U.S., China and Europe that likely will lead to higher prices for imported vehicles and those exported from the U.S. Barra said the company faces challenges from tariffs but she did not directly link the layoffs to them.

The planned reduction includes about 8,000 white-collar employees, or 15 percent of GM's North American white-collar workforce. Some will take buyouts while others will be laid off.

At the factories, around 3,300 blue-collar workers could lose jobs in the U.S. and another 2,600 in Canada, but some U.S. workers could transfer to truck or SUV factories that are increasing production. The cuts mark GM's first major downsizing since shedding thousands of jobs in the Great Recession.

General Motors Co.'s pre-emptive strike to get leaner before the next downturn likely will be followed by Ford Motor Co., which has said it is restructuring and will lay off an unspecified number of white-collar workers. Toyota Motor Corp. also has discussed cutting costs, even though it's building a new assembly plant in Alabama.

GM isn't the first to abandon much of the car market. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles got out of small and midsize cars two years ago, while Ford announced plans to shed all cars but the Mustang sports car in the U.S. in the coming years.

Factories that could be closed include assembly plants in Detroit and Oshawa, Ontario, and Lordstown, Ohio, as well as transmission plants in Warren, Michigan, and near Baltimore.

New York - 27 November 2018

1. Joseph Foudy, Professor of Economics, NYU Stern School of Business at desk

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Joseph Foudy, Professor of Economics, NYU Stern School of Business:

"This is a pretty significant cut when you consider that the company has been pretty successful since its turn around after the Great Recession. It's also happening at the top of the business cycle when the economy has been quite strong. And so I think it's quite surprising to a number of people but it tells you both where they think the car market is going as well as there are fears for the macro economy moving forward."

3. Foudy with charts

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Joseph Foudy, Professor of Economics, NYU Stern School of Business:

"There's three different issues I think they're facing. Number one is it's clearly continuing to move away from sedans and towards SUVs and so the factories being closed are really a further sort of move away from the car market towards crossovers and SUVs. Secondly they worry that the overall car market is going to be slowing down - that the economy is right now sort of at its peak and it's hard to imagine it's going to do better moving forward. The third thing they have to worry about is just a change towards both electric and self-driving cars along with that you know changes in car ownership. You know they see a world in which there are fewer car sales, cars last longer and the nature of car technology will be quite different."

5. Foudy explaining chart

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Joseph Foudy, Professor of Economics, NYU Stern School of Business:

"They know that capital investment in these new technologies is going to be in the billions. And so they're trying to get ahead of this curve."

7. General Motors chart

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Joseph Foudy, Professor of Economics, NYU Stern School of Business:

"You know they're trying to position themselves for a piece of that where they don't sell cars but sell services or rides. Whether they can do that I think is a really open question and I'd be a bit skeptical but they see a wave coming and they're trying to get ahead of it."

9. Foudy at desk

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Joseph Foudy, Professor of Economics, NYU Stern School of Business:

"Well the tariff cost, tariffs are adding to the cost of steel and other raw materials and so that's sort of increasing the pressure that the companies on. But this is really a broader reaction to where they think the economy and the car market is going."

11. Wide of Foudy

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Joseph Foudy, Professor of Economics, NYU Stern School of Business:

"And you know there's a short term cyclical trend where they think the car market and the economy may soften over the next year or two. But there's a longer term trend where they really think we're moving to electric cars where we're moving to self driving cars that they think the market is fundamentally changing."

13. Foudy at computer

14. SOUNDBITE (English) Joseph Foudy, Professor of Economics, NYU Stern School of Business:

"So innovation is shorthand for electric and autonomous vehicles not just in the United States but they think they could be launching about 20 models over the next couple of years that are electric in China. GM now sells more cars in China than it does in the United States."

15. Foudy with desk

16. SOUNDBITE (English) Joseph Foudy, Professor of Economics, NYU Stern School of Business:

"The average car quality is going up you routinely run into people whose cars are over 100,000 miles that have very few problems. The industry is a victim of its own success in that the average quality of an American car has jumped enormously. We don't see any difference now between American or Japanese carmakers."

17. Foudy upward view

18. SOUNDBITE (English) Joseph Foudy, Professor of Economics, NYU Stern School of Business:

"Electric cars in contrast to the internal combustion engine have far fewer parts and will last much longer. Some people hypothesize that an electric car like a Chevy Volt or a Tesla could last a million miles before it wears out."

19. Foudy at computer

20. SOUNDBITE (English) Joseph Foudy, Professor of Economics, NYU Stern School of Business:

"There's a real risk around the world for car companies that they'll face increasing regulation on emissions - even if we don't focus on that in the United States right now with the current administration - they have to sell cars for China and for Europe where emission standards are only going to get tougher and tougher."

21. Foudy talking

22. SOUNDBITE (English) Joseph Foudy, Professor of Economics, NYU Stern School of Business:

"And so if you look at the layoffs it's 15,000 workers. The good news is this is happening during a period when the economy is relatively strong but the horrible news is that it's concentrated in a number of communities for whom it's going to be devastating. You know we had a bankruptcy of Toys R Us that was 30,000 employees twice as many. Toys R Us didn't even give severance packages to the vast majority of its employees. But Toys R Us is dispersed across the entire country. This is concentrated in a handful of industrial towns that you know really can't recover from this."

23. Foudy wide shot at desk

LEADIN

Kia is to deliver a new electric vehicle with a 238 mile range.

Dubbed the Niro EV, the new electric sport utility vehicle showcased at CES also has a fast charging system.

STORYLINE

Kia says the electric Niro EV is expected to enter production later this year.

Kia's vice chairman, Woong-chul Yang, says the concept vehicle will have the ability to fast charge an additional 115 miles within 30 minutes of charging.

The Niro EV is expected to be the first of five all-electric cars to hit the market by 2025.

With safety in mind, the vehicle also has an Active Pedestrian Warning System to alert the driver of nearby pedestrians and cyclists.

Smartphones and other small devices that used to dominate the annual CES gadget show have been overshadowed in recent years by bigger mobile devices: namely, automobiles.

Other major automakers like Toyota, Hyundai and Ford have a noticeable presence at this week's tech showcase in Las Vegas, though most save more practical announcements about new cars, trucks and SUVs for the upcoming Detroit auto show.

CES has been a chance for carmakers and suppliers of automotive parts and software to display their wilder and far-out ideas.

Las Vegas - 8 January 2018

1. KIA promotional video played at presentation

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Woong-chul Yang, Vice Chairman and Head of Kia R&D:

"Ladies and gentlemen unveiled for the first time, I'm proud to present to you the Niro EV concept."

3. KIA promotional video showing Niro EV concept

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Woong-chul Yang, Vice Chairman and Head of Kia R&D:

"While the car you see here is a concept, Kia will release a new Niro electric vehicle the second half of this year. It will be able to travel 238 miles on a single charge, more than double the range of the current Soul EV. In addition, with Niro EV's fast charging system, you can add more than 115 miles of range with just 30 minutes of charging."

5. KIA promotional video showing Niro EV concept

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Woong-chul Yang, Vice Chairman and Head of Kia R&D:

"We will continue to expand our range of eco-friendly vehicles. By 2025 we will offer a total of 16 advanced powertrain vehicles with five new hybrids and plug-in hybrids, five new battery EVs and a new Fuel-cell electric vehicle."

7. KIA promotional video showing Niro EV concept

LEADIN

Kia is to deliver a new electric vehicle with a 238 mile range.

Dubbed the Niro EV, the new electric sport utility vehicle showcased at CES also has a fast charging system.

STORYLINE

Kia says the electric Niro EV is expected to enter production later this year.

Kia's vice chairman, Woong-chul Yang, says the concept vehicle will have the ability to fast charge an additional 115 miles within 30 minutes of charging.

The Niro EV is expected to be the first of five all-electric cars to hit the market by 2025.

With safety in mind, the vehicle also has an Active Pedestrian Warning System to alert the driver of nearby pedestrians and cyclists.

Smartphones and other small devices that used to dominate the annual CES gadget show have been overshadowed in recent years by bigger mobile devices: namely, automobiles.

Other major automakers like Toyota, Hyundai and Ford have a noticeable presence at this week's tech showcase in Las Vegas, though most save more practical announcements about new cars, trucks and SUVs for the upcoming Detroit auto show.

CES has been a chance for carmakers and suppliers of automotive parts and software to display their wilder and far-out ideas.

Las Vegas - 8 January 2018

1. KIA promotional video played at presentation

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Woong-chul Yang, Vice Chairman and Head of Kia R&D:

"Ladies and gentlemen unveiled for the first time, I'm proud to present to you the Niro EV concept."

3. KIA promotional video showing Niro EV concept

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Woong-chul Yang, Vice Chairman and Head of Kia R&D:

"While the car you see here is a concept, Kia will release a new Niro electric vehicle the second half of this year. It will be able to travel 238 miles on a single charge, more than double the range of the current Soul EV. In addition, with Niro EV's fast charging system, you can add more than 115 miles of range with just 30 minutes of charging."

5. KIA promotional video showing Niro EV concept

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Woong-chul Yang, Vice Chairman and Head of Kia R&D:

"We will continue to expand our range of eco-friendly vehicles. By 2025 we will offer a total of 16 advanced powertrain vehicles with five new hybrids and plug-in hybrids, five new battery EVs and a new Fuel-cell electric vehicle."

7. KIA promotional video showing Niro EV concept

LEAD IN:

200mph electric supercars and cars that park themselves with just a swish of their owner's wrist are just some of the latest hi-tech motors at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

The auto industry is increasingly using the technology show to demonstrate its latest gadgets and advances.

STORY-LINE:

This futuristic looking electric supercar can reach speeds of up to 200mph according to its maker Faraday.

The single-seater Faraday FFZero1 features all of the latest hi-tech gadgetry expected in a car making its debut at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

Page Beermann, Exterior Design Chief of Faraday Future says: "This car is a technology test bed for us. We're exploring things like aerodynamics, chassis development, materials, as well as the design language."

For example, a smartphone can be embedded in the steering wheel to give the driver real-time data and can even be used to tune and alter the way the car is set-up.

The FFZero1 is the brainchild of California-based car maker Faraday Future and is strictly a concept for now... and even if it ever does go into production then you're unlikely to ever see one on the road.

"I envisage this as much more of like a track enthusiast's car. You know, someone that would probably not even drive it on the road," says Beermann.

The modular chassis design can be converted to make it longer or shorter - so various configurations can enable more battery packs to be added for greater range.

Although the FFZero1 might be a concept, Faraday is planning to build its first production cars within two years and is already being tipped as a rival for local electric car makers Tesla.

If 200mph supercars are a bit too much for your needs, then Chevrolet's new Bolt might make a more practical electric alternative.

The 2017 production model was also unveiled at CES - which is fast becoming an important platform for car makers to reinforce their technological credentials.

The Bolt is designed as an affordable long-range electric vehicle and the successor to Chevrolet's Volt. Chevrolet claims the Bolt has a range of more than 200 miles.

Josh Tavel, the Vehicle Chief Engineer for Chevrolet Bolt EV, says: "With every step we've made at Chevrolet - from the Volt EV to the Spark EV to the second gen Volt and now the Bolt EV - we've really built a good heritage and we keep increasing that pedigree. We know what the customers want, more importantly we know how the customers use the vehicles and everything that we've learnt is going into these vehicles."

The Bolt was first introduced as a concept a year ago and production could begin by the end of 2016.

The car could come with an app that will make car sharing easier and also include advanced GPS route mapping which can predict precise range based on driving habits, weather conditions and the number of hills on the planned route.

But is range anxiety and the worry about being an early adopter of a relatively new technology still putting off motorists from going electric in 2016.

"There'll always be some people that still have fear, right? Until it's a completely mainstream product perhaps that won't happen. My biggest thing is going to be about getting the people in the vehicles, letting them experience all the good things that electrification brings to a vehicle, it's a completely different driving experience," says Tavel.

Outside the show hall BMW is demonstrating its self-parking cars.

Ok, so cars parking themselves is nothing new - but this BMW i3 has been fitted with gesture control. Its driver swipes his wrist and the smart watch he is wearing communicates with the car... the car rolls slowly into life and parks itself.

Philipp Reinisch from the BMW Group says: "With gesture control parking, it's possible to move your car using a gesture. You activate the car first by shaking your arm like this and then you're doing like a tennis forehand and sending the car into the free parking space."

Volkswagen's old Microbus is getting a major update and could be in a garage near you in around three years.

The company unveiled a futuristic battery-powered concept of the bus called the BUDD-e. VW expects it to be able to go 373 miles (600 kilometres) on a single charge, far longer than electric vehicles today, due to a more efficient battery technology.

Herbert Diess, Chairman of the board of management at Volkswagen says: "It's much more, it's high technology, it's a long-range electric car, it's fully-connected, it's a very emotional car and it will be state of the art by the end of this decade."

The Budd-e has internet connections to smart home devices and can be charged to 80 percent of its battery capacity in about 15 minutes, VW claims.

It also has gesture recognition technology to control the infotainment screen, and the doors can be controlled by voice commands.

VW didn't say in its releases if the new Microbus will actually go into production, but said that the BUDD-e "demonstrates what electric mobility could be like by the year 2019."

"The car will be an integral part of the internet, probably the most important part in the internet. The car will be always online, fully connected, we will have automotive cloud which will make the car really safe to drive, very convenient," says Diess.

VW says it's likely that the Budd-e will become a production model.

While some auto makers like General Motors will be looking to boost current car sales, companies like Rinspeed will be looking years - perhaps decades - into the future.

The Swiss car makers unveiled a self-driving concept car called 'Etos'.

A total of eight HD exterior cameras visually monitor the vehicle's surroundings, establishing 180-degree panoramic views, virtual exterior mirrors and no blind spots.

Inside, there's a retracting steering wheel which creates added space when in auto-pilot mode, allowing drivers to explore two curved 21.5-inch Ultra HD widescreen monitors or simply read a book.

Frank Rinderknecht, CEO of Rinspeed says: "In my opinion, whether you drive a sports car or a sedan, once you're traffic you're stuck and then you want to do something else, you want to maybe work, you want to entertain yourself, you want to read and that means that you need space and the steering wheel for those activities are just simply in the way."

The Etos comes complete with an on-board DJI drone to snap road selfies during journeys... or even more unusual missions.

"The drone is for us a sign of connectivity, it's also a twinkle of the eye. Let's assume it's valentines day, you forgot to order roses for your wife, you order them online, the drones goes and picks them up and even delivers them," says Rinderknecht.

It may seem like science fiction for some, but Rinspeed's Etos concept vehicle may inspire cars of the future.

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) runs 6-9 January in Las Vegas and over 3,600 exhibitors are showing off their latest consumer tech products and services.

LEAD IN:

200mph electric supercars and cars that park themselves with just a swish of their owner's wrist are just some of the latest hi-tech motors at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

The auto industry is increasingly using the technology show to demonstrate its latest gadgets and advances.

STORY-LINE:

This futuristic looking electric supercar can reach speeds of up to 200mph according to its maker Faraday.

The single-seater Faraday FFZero1 features all of the latest hi-tech gadgetry expected in a car making its debut at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

Page Beermann, Exterior Design Chief of Faraday Future says: "This car is a technology test bed for us. We're exploring things like aerodynamics, chassis development, materials, as well as the design language."

For example, a smartphone can be embedded in the steering wheel to give the driver real-time data and can even be used to tune and alter the way the car is set-up.

The FFZero1 is the brainchild of California-based car maker Faraday Future and is strictly a concept for now... and even if it ever does go into production then you're unlikely to ever see one on the road.

"I envisage this as much more of like a track enthusiast's car. You know, someone that would probably not even drive it on the road," says Beermann.

The modular chassis design can be converted to make it longer or shorter - so various configurations can enable more battery packs to be added for greater range.

Although the FFZero1 might be a concept, Faraday is planning to build its first production cars within two years and is already being tipped as a rival for local electric car makers Tesla.

If 200mph supercars are a bit too much for your needs, then Chevrolet's new Bolt might make a more practical electric alternative.

The 2017 production model was also unveiled at CES - which is fast becoming an important platform for car makers to reinforce their technological credentials.

The Bolt is designed as an affordable long-range electric vehicle and the successor to Chevrolet's Volt. Chevrolet claims the Bolt has a range of more than 200 miles.

Josh Tavel, the Vehicle Chief Engineer for Chevrolet Bolt EV, says: "With every step we've made at Chevrolet - from the Volt EV to the Spark EV to the second gen Volt and now the Bolt EV - we've really built a good heritage and we keep increasing that pedigree. We know what the customers want, more importantly we know how the customers use the vehicles and everything that we've learnt is going into these vehicles."

The Bolt was first introduced as a concept a year ago and production could begin by the end of 2016.

The car could come with an app that will make car sharing easier and also include advanced GPS route mapping which can predict precise range based on driving habits, weather conditions and the number of hills on the planned route.

But is range anxiety and the worry about being an early adopter of a relatively new technology still putting off motorists from going electric in 2016.

"There'll always be some people that still have fear, right? Until it's a completely mainstream product perhaps that won't happen. My biggest thing is going to be about getting the people in the vehicles, letting them experience all the good things that electrification brings to a vehicle, it's a completely different driving experience," says Tavel.

Outside the show hall BMW is demonstrating its self-parking cars.

Ok, so cars parking themselves is nothing new - but this BMW i3 has been fitted with gesture control. Its driver swipes his wrist and the smart watch he is wearing communicates with the car... the car rolls slowly into life and parks itself.

Philipp Reinisch from the BMW Group says: "With gesture control parking, it's possible to move your car using a gesture. You activate the car first by shaking your arm like this and then you're doing like a tennis forehand and sending the car into the free parking space."

Volkswagen's old Microbus is getting a major update and could be in a garage near you in around three years.

The company unveiled a futuristic battery-powered concept of the bus called the BUDD-e. VW expects it to be able to go 373 miles (600 kilometres) on a single charge, far longer than electric vehicles today, due to a more efficient battery technology.

Herbert Diess, Chairman of the board of management at Volkswagen says: "It's much more, it's high technology, it's a long-range electric car, it's fully-connected, it's a very emotional car and it will be state of the art by the end of this decade."

The Budd-e has internet connections to smart home devices and can be charged to 80 percent of its battery capacity in about 15 minutes, VW claims.

It also has gesture recognition technology to control the infotainment screen, and the doors can be controlled by voice commands.

VW didn't say in its releases if the new Microbus will actually go into production, but said that the BUDD-e "demonstrates what electric mobility could be like by the year 2019."

"The car will be an integral part of the internet, probably the most important part in the internet. The car will be always online, fully connected, we will have automotive cloud which will make the car really safe to drive, very convenient," says Diess.

VW says it's likely that the Budd-e will become a production model.

While some auto makers like General Motors will be looking to boost current car sales, companies like Rinspeed will be looking years - perhaps decades - into the future.

The Swiss car makers unveiled a self-driving concept car called 'Etos'.

A total of eight HD exterior cameras visually monitor the vehicle's surroundings, establishing 180-degree panoramic views, virtual exterior mirrors and no blind spots.

Inside, there's a retracting steering wheel which creates added space when in auto-pilot mode, allowing drivers to explore two curved 21.5-inch Ultra HD widescreen monitors or simply read a book.

Frank Rinderknecht, CEO of Rinspeed says: "In my opinion, whether you drive a sports car or a sedan, once you're traffic you're stuck and then you want to do something else, you want to maybe work, you want to entertain yourself, you want to read and that means that you need space and the steering wheel for those activities are just simply in the way."

The Etos comes complete with an on-board DJI drone to snap road selfies during journeys... or even more unusual missions.

"The drone is for us a sign of connectivity, it's also a twinkle of the eye. Let's assume it's valentines day, you forgot to order roses for your wife, you order them online, the drones goes and picks them up and even delivers them," says Rinderknecht.

It may seem like science fiction for some, but Rinspeed's Etos concept vehicle may inspire cars of the future.

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) runs 6-9 January in Las Vegas and over 3,600 exhibitors are showing off their latest consumer tech products and services.

AP TELEVISION

Las Vegas, US - 4 January 2015

1. Mid of Faraday FFZERO1 electric concept car

Las Vegas, US - 6 January 2015

2. Various of Faraday FFZERO1 electric concept car on display at the Consumer Electronic Show (CES)

3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Page Beermann, Exterior Design Chief, Faraday Future:

"This car is a technology test bed for us. We're exploring things like aerodynamics, chassis development, materials, as well as the design language."

4. Various of Faraday FFZERO1 electric concept car on display

5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Page Beermann, Exterior Design Chief, Faraday Future:

"I envisage this as much more of like a track enthusiast's car. You know, someone that would probably not even drive it on the road."

6. Mid of Josh Tavel, Vehicle Chief Engineer for Chevrolet Bolt EV, driving new Chevrolet Bolt EV

7. Wide of new Chevrolet Bolt EV coming to a stop

8. Various of new Chevrolet Bolt EV

9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Josh Tavel, Vehicle Chief Engineer for Chevrolet Bolt EV:

"With every step we've made at Chevrolet - from the Volt EV to the Spark EV to the second gen Volt and now the Bolt EV - we've really built a good heritage and we keep increasing that pedigree. We know what the customers want, more importantly we know how the customers use the vehicles and everything that we've learnt is going into these vehicles."

10. Various of new Chevrolet Bolt EV

11. SOUNDBITE: (English) Josh Tavel, Vehicle Chief Engineer for Chevrolet Bolt EV:

"There'll always be some people that still have fear, right? Until it's a completely mainstream product perhaps that won't happen. My biggest thing is going to be about getting the people in the vehicles, letting them experience all the good things that electrification brings to a vehicle, it's a completely different driving experience."

12. Mid of BMW employee preparing to park car using gesture control technology

13. Close of BMW employee's hands demonstrating gesture-controlled parking technology with smart watch

14. Various of BMW i3 self-parking

15. SOUNDBITE: (English) Philipp Reinisch, BMW Group:

"With gesture control parking, it's possible to move your car using a gesture. You activate the car first by shaking your arm like this and then you're doing like a tennis forehand and sending the car into the free parking space."

16. Tilt up as BMW i3 drives away

17. Pull out of sign reading (English): "Think New." at Volkswagen CES booth

18. Various of Volkswagen BUDD-e concept bus on display

19. Setup shot of Herbert Diess, Chairman of the board of management, Volkswagen, talking to media

20. Cutaway of video camera screen

21. SOUNDBITE: (English) Herbert Diess, Chairman of the board of management, Volkswagen:

"It's much more, it's high technology, it's a long-range electric car, it's fully-connected, it's a very emotional car and it will be state of the art by the end of this decade."

22. Various of Volkswagen employee demonstrating BUDD-e gesture control technology

23. SOUNDBITE: (English) Herbert Diess, Chairman of the board of management, Volkswagen:

"The car will be an integral part of the internet, probably the most important part in the internet. The car will be always online, fully connected, we will have automotive cloud which will make the car really safe to drive, very convenient."

24. Wide high shot of CES show floor

25. High shot of CES attendees on show floor

25. Various of Toyota FCV Plus on display

26. Various of Rinspeed 'Etos' concept car on display

27. Various of Rinspeed employee demonstrating retractable steering wheel for autonomous driving

28. SOUNDBITE: (English) Frank Rinderknecht, CEO of Rinspeed:

"In my opinion, whether you drive a sports car or a sedan, once you're traffic you're stuck and then you want to do something else, you want to maybe work, you want to entertain yourself, you want to read and that means that you need space and the steering wheel for those activities are just simply in the way."

29. Various of drone sat on Rinspeed 'Etos' rear

30. SOUNDBITE: (English) Frank Rinderknecht, CEO of Rinspeed:

"The drone is for us a sign of connectivity, it's also a twinkle of the eye. Let's assume it's valentines day, you forgot to order roses for your wife, you order them online, the drones goes and picks them up and even delivers them."

31. Tilt down to Rinspeed 'Etos' concept car on display

LEAD-IN:

200mph electric supercars and cars that park themselves with just a swish of their owner's wrist are just some of the latest hi-tech motors at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

The auto industry is increasingly using the technology show to demonstrate its latest gadgets and advances.

STORY-LINE:

This futuristic looking electric supercar can reach speeds of up to 200mph according to its maker Faraday.

The single-seater Faraday FFZero1 features all of the latest hi-tech gadgetry expected in a car making its debut at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

Page Beermann, Exterior Design Chief of Faraday Future says: "This car is a technology test bed for us. We're exploring things like aerodynamics, chassis development, materials, as well as the design language."

For example, a smartphone can be embedded in the steering wheel to give the driver real-time data and can even be used to tune and alter the way the car is set-up.

The FFZero1 is the brainchild of California-based car maker Faraday Future and is strictly a concept for now... and even if it ever does go into production then you're unlikely to ever see one on the road.

"I envisage this as much more of like a track enthusiast's car. You know, someone that would probably not even drive it on the road," says Beermann.

The modular chassis design can be converted to make it longer or shorter - so various configurations can enable more battery packs to be added for greater range.

Although the FFZero1 might be a concept, Faraday is planning to build its first production cars within two years and is already being tipped as a rival for local electric car makers Tesla.

If 200mph supercars are a bit too much for your needs, then Chevrolet's new Bolt might make a more practical electric alternative.

The 2017 production model was also unveiled at CES - which is fast becoming an important platform for car makers to reinforce their technological credentials.

The Bolt is designed as an affordable long-range electric vehicle and the successor to Chevrolet's Volt. Chevrolet claims the Bolt has a range of more than 200 miles.

Josh Tavel, the Vehicle Chief Engineer for Chevrolet Bolt EV, says: "With every step we've made at Chevrolet - from the Volt EV to the Spark EV to the second gen Volt and now the Bolt EV - we've really built a good heritage and we keep increasing that pedigree. We know what the customers want, more importantly we know how the customers use the vehicles and everything that we've learnt is going into these vehicles."

The Bolt was first introduced as a concept a year ago and production could begin by the end of 2016.

The car could come with an app that will make car sharing easier and also include advanced GPS route mapping which can predict precise range based on driving habits, weather conditions and the number of hills on the planned route.

But is range anxiety and the worry about being an early adopter of a relatively new technology still putting off motorists from going electric in 2016.

"There'll always be some people that still have fear, right? Until it's a completely mainstream product perhaps that won't happen. My biggest thing is going to be about getting the people in the vehicles, letting them experience all the good things that electrification brings to a vehicle, it's a completely different driving experience," says Tavel.

Outside the show hall BMW is demonstrating its self-parking cars.

Ok, so cars parking themselves is nothing new - but this BMW i3 has been fitted with gesture control. Its driver swipes his wrist and the smart watch he is wearing communicates with the car... the car rolls slowly into life and parks itself.

Philipp Reinisch from the BMW Group says: "With gesture control parking, it's possible to move your car using a gesture. You activate the car first by shaking your arm like this and then you're doing like a tennis forehand and sending the car into the free parking space."

Volkswagen's old Microbus is getting a major update and could be in a garage near you in around three years.

The company unveiled a futuristic battery-powered concept of the bus called the BUDD-e. VW expects it to be able to go 373 miles (600 kilometres) on a single charge, far longer than electric vehicles today, due to a more efficient battery technology.

Herbert Diess, Chairman of the board of management at Volkswagen says: "It's much more, it's high technology, it's a long-range electric car, it's fully-connected, it's a very emotional car and it will be state of the art by the end of this decade."

The Budd-e has internet connections to smart home devices and can be charged to 80 percent of its battery capacity in about 15 minutes, VW claims.

It also has gesture recognition technology to control the infotainment screen, and the doors can be controlled by voice commands.

VW didn't say in its releases if the new Microbus will actually go into production, but said that the BUDD-e "demonstrates what electric mobility could be like by the year 2019."

"The car will be an integral part of the internet, probably the most important part in the internet. The car will be always online, fully connected, we will have automotive cloud which will make the car really safe to drive, very convenient," says Diess.

VW says it's likely that the Budd-e will become a production model.

While some auto makers like General Motors will be looking to boost current car sales, companies like Rinspeed will be looking years - perhaps decades - into the future.

The Swiss car makers unveiled a self-driving concept car called 'Etos'.

A total of eight HD exterior cameras visually monitor the vehicle's surroundings, establishing 180-degree panoramic views, virtual exterior mirrors and no blind spots.

Inside, there's a retracting steering wheel which creates added space when in auto-pilot mode, allowing drivers to explore two curved 21.5-inch Ultra HD widescreen monitors or simply read a book.

Frank Rinderknecht, CEO of Rinspeed says: "In my opinion, whether you drive a sports car or a sedan, once you're traffic you're stuck and then you want to do something else, you want to maybe work, you want to entertain yourself, you want to read and that means that you need space and the steering wheel for those activities are just simply in the way."

The Etos comes complete with an on-board DJI drone to snap road selfies during journeys... or even more unusual missions.

"The drone is for us a sign of connectivity, it's also a twinkle of the eye. Let's assume it's valentines day, you forgot to order roses for your wife, you order them online, the drones goes and picks them up and even delivers them," says Rinderknecht.

It may seem like science fiction for some, but Rinspeed's Etos concept vehicle may inspire cars of the future.

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) runs 6-9 January in Las Vegas and over 3,600 exhibitors are showing off their latest consumer tech products and services.

LEAD-IN:

200mph electric supercars and cars that park themselves with just a swish of their owner's wrist are just some of the latest hi-tech motors at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

The auto industry is increasingly using the technology show to demonstrate its latest gadgets and advances.

STORY-LINE:

This futuristic looking electric supercar can reach speeds of up to 200mph according to its maker Faraday.

The single-seater Faraday FFZero1 features all of the latest hi-tech gadgetry expected in a car making its debut at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

Page Beermann, Exterior Design Chief of Faraday Future says: "This car is a technology test bed for us. We're exploring things like aerodynamics, chassis development, materials, as well as the design language."

For example, a smartphone can be embedded in the steering wheel to give the driver real-time data and can even be used to tune and alter the way the car is set-up.

The FFZero1 is the brainchild of California-based car maker Faraday Future and is strictly a concept for now... and even if it ever does go into production then you're unlikely to ever see one on the road.

"I envisage this as much more of like a track enthusiast's car. You know, someone that would probably not even drive it on the road," says Beermann.

The modular chassis design can be converted to make it longer or shorter - so various configurations can enable more battery packs to be added for greater range.

Although the FFZero1 might be a concept, Faraday is planning to build its first production cars within two years and is already being tipped as a rival for local electric car makers Tesla.

If 200mph supercars are a bit too much for your needs, then Chevrolet's new Bolt might make a more practical electric alternative.

The 2017 production model was also unveiled at CES - which is fast becoming an important platform for car makers to reinforce their technological credentials.

The Bolt is designed as an affordable long-range electric vehicle and the successor to Chevrolet's Volt. Chevrolet claims the Bolt has a range of more than 200 miles.

Josh Tavel, the Vehicle Chief Engineer for Chevrolet Bolt EV, says: "With every step we've made at Chevrolet - from the Volt EV to the Spark EV to the second gen Volt and now the Bolt EV - we've really built a good heritage and we keep increasing that pedigree. We know what the customers want, more importantly we know how the customers use the vehicles and everything that we've learnt is going into these vehicles."

The Bolt was first introduced as a concept a year ago and production could begin by the end of 2016.

The car could come with an app that will make car sharing easier and also include advanced GPS route mapping which can predict precise range based on driving habits, weather conditions and the number of hills on the planned route.

But is range anxiety and the worry about being an early adopter of a relatively new technology still putting off motorists from going electric in 2016.

"There'll always be some people that still have fear, right? Until it's a completely mainstream product perhaps that won't happen. My biggest thing is going to be about getting the people in the vehicles, letting them experience all the good things that electrification brings to a vehicle, it's a completely different driving experience," says Tavel.

Outside the show hall BMW is demonstrating its self-parking cars.

Ok, so cars parking themselves is nothing new - but this BMW i3 has been fitted with gesture control. Its driver swipes his wrist and the smart watch he is wearing communicates with the car... the car rolls slowly into life and parks itself.

Philipp Reinisch from the BMW Group says: "With gesture control parking, it's possible to move your car using a gesture. You activate the car first by shaking your arm like this and then you're doing like a tennis forehand and sending the car into the free parking space."

Volkswagen's old Microbus is getting a major update and could be in a garage near you in around three years.

The company unveiled a futuristic battery-powered concept of the bus called the BUDD-e. VW expects it to be able to go 373 miles (600 kilometres) on a single charge, far longer than electric vehicles today, due to a more efficient battery technology.

Herbert Diess, Chairman of the board of management at Volkswagen says: "It's much more, it's high technology, it's a long-range electric car, it's fully-connected, it's a very emotional car and it will be state of the art by the end of this decade."

The Budd-e has internet connections to smart home devices and can be charged to 80 percent of its battery capacity in about 15 minutes, VW claims.

It also has gesture recognition technology to control the infotainment screen, and the doors can be controlled by voice commands.

VW didn't say in its releases if the new Microbus will actually go into production, but said that the BUDD-e "demonstrates what electric mobility could be like by the year 2019."

"The car will be an integral part of the internet, probably the most important part in the internet. The car will be always online, fully connected, we will have automotive cloud which will make the car really safe to drive, very convenient," says Diess.

VW says it's likely that the Budd-e will become a production model.

While some auto makers like General Motors will be looking to boost current car sales, companies like Rinspeed will be looking years - perhaps decades - into the future.

The Swiss car makers unveiled a self-driving concept car called 'Etos'.

A total of eight HD exterior cameras visually monitor the vehicle's surroundings, establishing 180-degree panoramic views, virtual exterior mirrors and no blind spots.

Inside, there's a retracting steering wheel which creates added space when in auto-pilot mode, allowing drivers to explore two curved 21.5-inch Ultra HD widescreen monitors or simply read a book.

Frank Rinderknecht, CEO of Rinspeed says: "In my opinion, whether you drive a sports car or a sedan, once you're traffic you're stuck and then you want to do something else, you want to maybe work, you want to entertain yourself, you want to read and that means that you need space and the steering wheel for those activities are just simply in the way."

The Etos comes complete with an on-board DJI drone to snap road selfies during journeys... or even more unusual missions.

"The drone is for us a sign of connectivity, it's also a twinkle of the eye. Let's assume it's valentines day, you forgot to order roses for your wife, you order them online, the drones goes and picks them up and even delivers them," says Rinderknecht.

It may seem like science fiction for some, but Rinspeed's Etos concept vehicle may inspire cars of the future.

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) runs 6-9 January in Las Vegas and over 3,600 exhibitors are showing off their latest consumer tech products and services.

Las Vegas, US - 4 January 2015

1. Mid of Faraday FFZERO1 electric concept car

Las Vegas, US - 6 January 2015

2. Various of Faraday FFZERO1 electric concept car on display at the Consumer Electronic Show (CES)

3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Page Beermann, Exterior Design Chief, Faraday Future:

"This car is a technology test bed for us. We're exploring things like aerodynamics, chassis development, materials, as well as the design language."

4. Various of Faraday FFZERO1 electric concept car on display

5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Page Beermann, Exterior Design Chief, Faraday Future:

"I envisage this as much more of like a track enthusiast's car. You know, someone that would probably not even drive it on the road."

6. Mid of Josh Tavel, Vehicle Chief Engineer for Chevrolet Bolt EV, driving new Chevrolet Bolt EV

7. Wide of new Chevrolet Bolt EV coming to a stop

8. Various of new Chevrolet Bolt EV

9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Josh Tavel, Vehicle Chief Engineer for Chevrolet Bolt EV:

"With every step we've made at Chevrolet - from the Volt EV to the Spark EV to the second gen Volt and now the Bolt EV - we've really built a good heritage and we keep increasing that pedigree. We know what the customers want, more importantly we know how the customers use the vehicles and everything that we've learnt is going into these vehicles."

10. Various of new Chevrolet Bolt EV

11. SOUNDBITE: (English) Josh Tavel, Vehicle Chief Engineer for Chevrolet Bolt EV:

"There'll always be some people that still have fear, right? Until it's a completely mainstream product perhaps that won't happen. My biggest thing is going to be about getting the people in the vehicles, letting them experience all the good things that electrification brings to a vehicle, it's a completely different driving experience."

12. Mid of BMW employee preparing to park car using gesture control technology

13. Close of BMW employee's hands demonstrating gesture-controlled parking technology with smart watch

14. Various of BMW i3 self-parking

15. SOUNDBITE: (English) Philipp Reinisch, BMW Group:

"With gesture control parking, it's possible to move your car using a gesture. You activate the car first by shaking your arm like this and then you're doing like a tennis forehand and sending the car into the free parking space."

16. Tilt up as BMW i3 drives away

17. Pull out of sign reading (English): "Think New." at Volkswagen CES booth

18. Various of Volkswagen BUDD-e concept bus on display

19. Setup shot of Herbert Diess, Chairman of the board of management, Volkswagen, talking to media

20. Cutaway of video camera screen

21. SOUNDBITE: (English) Herbert Diess, Chairman of the board of management, Volkswagen:

"It's much more, it's high technology, it's a long-range electric car, it's fully-connected, it's a very emotional car and it will be state of the art by the end of this decade."

22. Various of Volkswagen employee demonstrating BUDD-e gesture control technology

23. SOUNDBITE: (English) Herbert Diess, Chairman of the board of management, Volkswagen:

"The car will be an integral part of the internet, probably the most important part in the internet. The car will be always online, fully connected, we will have automotive cloud which will make the car really safe to drive, very convenient."

24. Wide high shot of CES show floor

25. High shot of CES attendees on show floor

25. Various of Toyota FCV Plus on display

26. Various of Rinspeed 'Etos' concept car on display

27. Various of Rinspeed employee demonstrating retractable steering wheel for autonomous driving

28. SOUNDBITE: (English) Frank Rinderknecht, CEO of Rinspeed:

"In my opinion, whether you drive a sports car or a sedan, once you're traffic you're stuck and then you want to do something else, you want to maybe work, you want to entertain yourself, you want to read and that means that you need space and the steering wheel for those activities are just simply in the way."

29. Various of drone sat on Rinspeed 'Etos' rear

30. SOUNDBITE: (English) Frank Rinderknecht, CEO of Rinspeed:

"The drone is for us a sign of connectivity, it's also a twinkle of the eye. Let's assume it's valentines day, you forgot to order roses for your wife, you order them online, the drones goes and picks them up and even delivers them."

31. Tilt down to Rinspeed 'Etos' concept car on display

Chrysler wants to expand its sales with new vehicles, including a plug-in hybrid minivan and a new small Jeep SUV, in a more aggressive effort to differentiate its brands.

Chrysler Group LLC Chairman and CEO Sergio Marchionne addressed an audience of investors and media on Tuesday at an all-day event to reveal the future product plans at Chrysler's headquarters in Auburn Hills in the US state of Michigan.

Chrysler is dropping the Dodge Grand Caravan minivan and Dodge Avenger sedan, which it says compete too closely with the Chrysler Town and Country minivan and Chrysler 200 sedan.

From now on, the company said, Chrysler will be the mainstream brand that competes with Toyota, Chevrolet and Ford, while Dodge will be a sporty, performance-oriented brand designed to appeal to younger buyers.

Chrysler's SRT performance brand, which includes the Viper sports car, will be consolidated with Dodge and considered the "halo" of the Dodge brand.

Chrysler is in the process of combining with Italian automaker Fiat SpA.

Fiat completed its purchase of Chrysler in January. Shares of the combined company are expected to begin trading jointly on the New York Stock Exchange and in Milan, Italy, by October 1.

AP TELEVISION

1. Tracking shot of Chrysler Group LLC Chairman and CEO Sergio Marchionne walking into room and greeting people

2. Mid of Marchionne hugging an unidentified man

3. Various of Marchionne addressing investors, media

4. Various of investors and media in audience

5. Close-up of media

6. Mid of audience

SHOTLIST:

1. Bulls and horses at unveiling of Ram trucks

2. Trucks drive out

3. Various of trucks on display

4. Various of Chevrolet truck displayed inside showroom, interior and exterior of the truck

5. Various of Nissan Titan truck displayed inside showroom

6. SOUNDBITE: (English) George Pipas, Ford sales analyst manager:

"As far as the overall truck business is concerned in 2008 I think we approach it with a little bit of caution because we don't expect a quick turnaround in the housing industry and so from that standpoint it's not likely we're going to get a lift from the underlying economic fundamentals but in terms of this product in the marketplace we ought to be able to do real well with them."

7. Various of Ford truck on display in showroom

8. Various of Chevrolet Hybrid Silverado truck on display in showroom

9. Various of Ford Verve on hybrid display in showroom

10. Various of Vue and Aura Green Line Hybrid on display

11. Various of General Motors hybrid

12. Mid of Supercharger ZR

13. Various of Beat and Trax on display

14. Various of Taiki on display in showroom

15. Models showing off cars in showroom

STORYLINE

The Detroit car show opened on Sunday with automaker Chrysler showing off its revamped Dodge Ram with help from ranchers and a herd of 120 cattle roaming through the city's streets.

Before the cattle drive, which came on the first day of media previews at the North American International Auto Show, men in cowboy hats and ranch work clothes loaded bales of hay into a mud-spattered Ram and hammered together fences.

Ford Motor Company, whose F-series pickups are the top-selling vehicles in the nation, unveiled its new F-150 at the show.

Both will debut as 2009 models in the autumn, and each was designed after extensive research to fix flaws in the old models, making them more efficient.

Hybrids, advanced diesels and green alternatives were also pushing aside the traditional displays of speed and chrome at the show, a nod to a new fuel-efficient reality for car makers.

Automakers, only weeks after Congress approved tougher fuel-efficiency requirements, are broadening their array of cars that get more on a gallon (3.79 litres) of gasoline, cutting carbon dioxide emissions and using alternative power sources.

Most of the vehicles and technologies have been in the pipeline for years, but the podiums at the show should further signal a shifting direction for the industry after years of pushing more horsepower and speed.

By 2007, according to data from the US Environmental Protection Agency, the average vehicle weighed 4 thousand 144 pounds (1 thousand 880 kilos), boasted a 223 horsepower engine and did zero to 60 mph (96 kph) in 9.6 seconds.

US President George W Bush signed an energy bill in late December that requires the industry's fleet of new cars, sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks and vans to average 35 miles (56 kilometres) per gallon (3.79 litres) by 2020, a 40 percent increase and the first major changes since the 1970s.

General Motors Corporation (GM), which created a green buzz last year with the Chevrolet Volt, showed a similar plug-in hybrid concept on a Saturn Opel.

GM also will extend its hybrid line up, releasing a new Saturn Vue two-mode hybrid, which is expected to boost fuel economy by about 50 percent when it hits showrooms later this year.

Toyota Motor Corporation, which has dominated the gas-electric hybrid market with its Prius and Camry hybrids, will raise the curtain on Monday on the A-BAT, a hybrid pickup truck built on a car platform.

Even niche, luxury carmakers are getting in the advanced hybrid act.

Still, auto industry officials note that many consumers are turned off by the higher costs of a hybrid vehicle, typically 4,000 US dollars (2,704 Euros) to 5,000 US dollars (3,380 Euros) more, and more modest alternatives are needed.

Ford Motor Corporation is taking a practical approach through its new EcoBoost engine, a more fuel-efficient one that it plans to use in about 500 vehicles in North America during the next five years.

The engine is much more cost-effective than a hybrid, using direct-injection and turbo charging technologies.

Others are pointing to diesels, which can provide about a 25 percent boost in fuel efficiency.

Daimler showed its GLK compact sport utility vehicle, offering a diesel option that can get up to 35 mpg (56 kpg).

BMW AG, meanwhile, showed advanced diesel versions of the X5 sport utility vehicle and a 3-Series passenger car.

Car makers have been testing advanced vehicles for several years, including hydrogen fuel cells and plug-in hybrids, with the hopes that the technologies will improve and become more viable.

Chrysler LLC, which has ranked near the bottom in fuel efficiency ratings, on Monday showed a Jeep with a lithium-ion battery pack and diesel hybrid engine, a Dodge ZEO electric concept sports wagon, and a Chrysler fuel-cell vehicle.

===============

Clients are reminded:

(i) to check the terms of their licence agreements for use of content outside news programming and that further advice and assistance can be obtained from the AP Archive on: Tel +44 (0) 20 7482 7482 Email: info@aparchive.com

(ii) they should check with the applicable collecting society in their Territory regarding the clearance of any sound recording or performance included within the AP Television News service

(iii) they have editorial responsibility for the use of all and any content included within the AP Television News service and for libel, privacy, compliance and third party rights applicable to their Territory.

SHOTLIST:

July 19, 2006. Santa Monica, California.

1. Close shot front view of Tesla Roadster/tilt up to wide shot showing car and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (white shirt) speaking to Tesla Motors officials.

2. Mid shot of Schwarzenegger speaking with Tesla Motors officials.

3. Close shot of Schwarzenegger.

4. Mid shot of photographers.

5. Close shot of Schwarzenegger in car as car pulls out of hangar and drives away.

6. Wide shot of Tesla Roadster during test drive.

7. Mid shot of Schwarzenegger in car after test drive.

8. Close shot of Tesla emblem on Tesla Roadster.

9. Close shot of Tesla Roadster moving into display area.

10. Wide shot of Tesla Roadsters in display area.

11. Mid shot of Roadster interior.

12. Close shot of Roadster interior.

13. Mid shot of Tesla Motors Chairman Elon Musk speaking to media.

14. Close shot front view of Tesla Roadster.

15. Close shot rear view of Tesla Roadster.

16. Close shot of Roadster marking.

17. SOUNDBITE: (English) Elon Musk, Chairman, Tesla Motors.

"So I'm really excited by the fact that we've got....a zero emissions sports car that can go head-to-head with a Ferrari and a Porsche and win. "

18. Mid shot of Roadster on test drive.

19. Close shot of Roadster on test drive.

20. Mid shot of people standing next to display of Roadster electric motor.

21. Close shot of motor.

22. Mid to close shot of Roadster on demonstration track.

23. Mid shot of Tesla Motors Chief Executive Officer Martin Eberhard speaking at Roadster roll out event/pan to mid shot of Roadster.

24. SOUNDBITE: (English) Martin Eberhard, Chief Executive Officer, Tesla Motors.

"The public perception of electric cars is not that favorable. And it's important for us to absolutely change the perception of electric cars, and we do that by making a car that breaks all the stereotypes of what an electric car can be: it's beautiful, it's quick, it's got a nice long range and it's a sports car it really is."

25. Close shot of Roadster pulling away for test drive.

26. Wide shot of people at Tesla Roadster rollout event.

27. Mid shot of people speaking to Tesla official at event.

28. Mid shot of Tesla official and guest standing next to Roadster technology display.

29. Close shot of Roadster technology display.

30. SOUNDBITE: (English) Martin Eberhard, Chief Executive Officer, Tesla Motors.

"Oh more than tweaking, we had to design every aspect of it. We spent a huge amount of time and money developing a battery pack that gets the kind of range we wanted and does it in a way that's safe and reliable. We had to develop motor technology, power electronics, and all of the things to build a real car....a high-performance sports car and light."

31. Wide to mid shot of Roadster on test drive.

32. Close shot of Tesla Roadster in display area.

33. Close shot of Tesla steering wheel.

34. SOUNDBITE: (English) Elon Lusk, Chairman, Tesla Motors.

"If all the cars in the world were hybrids would we solve our oil addiction? No, we wouldn't. We might delay the day of reckoning a little bit, but we would not fundamentally change the equation. (To) fundamentally change the equation you've got to have an all-electric vehicle. And we're starting off with something which has 250 miles of range, but the technology is continually improving, it's going to get better."

35. Wide to mid shot of Roadster on test track.

36. Mid to close shot of Roadster on test track.

SUGGESTED LEADIN:

Electric cars have come a long way since Lew Miller's 1904 Baker model (see previous story).

In July a California based car maker introduced what they claim is the first all-electric car with the performance of a sports car.

Tesla Motors, a Silicon-valley based company, rolled out its first model, the Tesla Roadster, with a little help from California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

STORYLINE:

Tesla's touting the Roadster as the first all-electric car with real-car performance -- boasting a top speed of about 130 miles an hour, and a range of some 250 miles on a single charge of its suped up battery pack.

The Governor is backing efforts of California start-ups like Tesla and other firms busy developing alternatives to gas guzzling cars.

And Tesla's top brass think they've got the answer with the Roadster.

Its all-electric motor means the Roadster is a silent sports car -- without the roar of a gas-powered engine.

But it also goes zero to 60 in about 4 seconds, according to Tesla officials.

Based near San Francisco, Tesla's team include high-tech entrepreneurs with computer backgrounds -- and funding from Silicon Valley high rollers that include the founders of Google and Pay Pal.

Tesla chairman Elon Musk pumped nearly $30 million dollars of his own money into the Tesla project, with the idea of producing a power-packed, zero-polluting car. He claims it's fast - and efficient:

SOT: Elon Musk, Chairman, Tesla Motors.

"So I'm really excited by the fact that we've got....a zero emissions sports car that can go head-to-head with a Ferrari and a Porsche and win. And it's twice the efficiency of a (Toyota) Prius."

The Roadster's all-electric power pack comes with rechargeable batteries, the same lithium-ion-type batteries used in lap top computers.

Its electric motor delivers instant power and speed with a push of the pedal, while an onboard computer provides traction control.

And while it may not sound like a sports car, Tesla C-E-O Martin Eberhard says the goal was an electric car with head-turning sporty looks and performance to match.

SOT: Martin Eberhard, Chief Executive Officer, Tesla Motors.

"The public perception of electric cars is not that favourable. And it's important for us to absolutely change the perception of electric cars, and we do that by making a car that breaks all the stereotypes of what an electric car can be: it's beautiful, it's quick, it's got a nice long range and it's a sports car it really is."

It took Eberhard, an electrical engineer, and his team at Tesla three years to go from drawing board to prototype to Roadster ready for mass production.

They drew from their own background as computer techs to build a battery pack with longer life.

Their power plant is a pumped up version of the latest in electric motor technology -- but still using the basic copper and steel rotor spun by a magnetic field.

It's a concept perfected originally by Serbian engineer Nikola Tesla, whose credited with building the first

A-C induction motor in the 1880's, and whose name Eberhard and his co-founders borrowed for their new car company.

And while they didn't reinvent the battery, or the electric motor, Eberhard says it was up to the Tesla team to push the technology further.

SOUNDBITE: (English) Martin Eberhard, Chief Executive Officer, Tesla Motors.

"Oh more than tweaking, we had to design every aspect of it. We spent a huge amount of time and money developing a battery pack that gets the kind of range we wanted and does it in a way that's safe and reliable. We had to develop motor technology, power electronics, and all of the things to build a real car...

a high-performance sports car and light."

Tesla Motors is pleased enough with the finished product, their new electric Roadster, to make plans for full production on the model by next summer.

They're also very bullish on electric-power over anything else, including hybrid vehicles which run on a combination of gas and electric power.

It's the best choice, they say, for a clean-air car, and to beat the high cost of oil.

SOUNDBITE: (English) Elon Lusk, Chairman, Tesla Motors.

"If all the cars in the world were hybrids would we solve our oil addiction? No, we wouldn't. We might delay the day of reckoning a little bit, but we would not fundamentally change the equation. (To) fundamentally change the equation you've got to have an all-electric vehicle. And we're starting off with something which has 250 miles of range, but the technology is continually improving, it's going to get better."

The Roadster is yours for about ninety to a hundred thousand dollars -- depending on options.

Or you can wait for a lower-priced four-door sedan that Tesla is gearing up to offer in a few years.

Keyword-science-technology