Hybrid Cars Of The Future

Toyota Prius Gen-3
Toyota hasn't revealed any official info on the next Prius, but leaks and rumors are pointing convincingly toward a new 1.8-liter turbocharged lean-burn gasoline engine that won't have to switch on as often. That's thanks to the use of lighter, faster-charging lithium/ion batteries that also hold their charge longer. If these rumors hold true, Prius could mark the first mainstream automotive application for these darlings of the laptop-computer industry. Acceleration to 60 mph is expected to fall below 10 seconds, with greatly improved fuel economy (though it'll arrive just after new EPA mileage reporting standards knock 20 to 30 percent off current hybrid figures). Toyota's recent alliance with Isuzu suggests a diesel engine might be employed in the Gen-4 Prius, and Toyota is known to be toying with fitting a larger battery pack with plug-in recharging to further extend the Prius's electric-only range.

TO SUM UP: The Prius will reign as king of the hybrid hill for the foreseeable future.

Ford Airstream Concept
Beneath the Airstream's retro-futuristic monospace mosh-pit trappings lies Ford's interpretation of the drivetrain of the future. Like the system in Chevy's Volt, it uses fully electric drive, with front and rear motors boasting 174 peak horses each. The electrons can come out of either a big battery or a smaller one recharged by an engine or a fuel cell. The Airstream concept carries 14 pounds of hydrogen at 10,000 psi (10 pounds at 5000 psi is more likely for the nearer term) to power a conventional fuel cell. It also carries a plug-in 16-kW-hour lithium/ion battery pack good for 25 miles before the fuel-cell stack comes on and runs at peak efficiency, maintaining the battery at between maybe 30- and 60-percent charge-that's lower than the current hybrids, to allow space in the batteries to juice up on cheaper plug power at home. Range should extend well beyond the hydrogen-hybrid Explorer's 350 miles.

TO SUM UP: Ditch the fuel-cell for a tiny turbodiesel and build it now!

Chevrolet Volt Concept
Electrons are all that power the Volt Concept's wheels. Its 1.0-liter turbocharged three-banger is hitched directly to a 53-kilowatt generator, with no mechanical connection to the road. If your daily commute is less than 20 miles each way, your Volt may never burn any gasoline. Plugging its 136-kilowatt lithium/ion battery pack into a normal 110-volt 15-amp home power outlet for six hours stores up 16 kilowatt-hours of energy-enough to propel the Delta-platform-based five-passenger wagonlet for 40 miles of EPA city cycle driving before the engine/generator kicks in. When it does, it runs at a constant speed of 1800 to 3000 rpm. Cruising at a constant 70 mph on the highway, the battery should last 30 minutes, then the engine would run for 30 minutes, and so on, with a 12-gallon gas tank capable of 640 miles. GM's computer simulations have yet to predict the effect A/C, heating, or other accessories will have on these determinations. Best of all: GM's E-Flex architecture allows for any small alternate-fuel engine or a fuel cell to replace the Volt's gas motor.

TO SUM UP: A transportation concept that seems future-proofed.

Ford Escape Hybrid
A major overhaul brings new styling and a host of detail refinements to America's favorite small SUV for 2008. The hybrid driveline's software is tuned for smoother transitions between operating modes, which, along with thicker carpet and an acoustic windshield and headliner hush the cockpit and improve the Escape's overall sense of refinement. Outside, a blocky three-bar grille, a raised and chamfered hood, and uncladded body sides bring the Escape family's appearance more in line with the new Expedition's. Standard Roll Stability Control helps keep the Escape from turning turtle, and six airbags cushion occupants if it does. The seat fabric is made of recycled material, and the instruments and controls get Ford's new ice-blue lighting.

TO SUM UP: Style trades cute for brute; substance improves a notch.