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Toyota and Honda continued to show their dominance of the current market for hybrids - with the biggest, most auto show-like stands. As Thomas Mesnil of Honda explained to CDN, Honda is unhappy at being perceived as number two in this area to Toyota - having captured much initial attention with its 1999 Insight - and has high hopes for the success of its 2006 Civic Hybrid (IMA).
Perhaps, in part this position of underdog is due to the Prius - Toyota's market leader - being a standalone model, which customers more readily identify as a hybrid, green car. The Civic, in contrast, is also available as a non-hybrid model - making its environmental credentials less obvious to the average buyer.
This raises an intriguing question about the current consumer awareness for all things green - do the actual environmental credentials of the machine matter, or is the image it projects the key selling point? As the market evolves, it will be interesting to see how successful the hybrid versions of existing models are, compared to stand-alone designs such as the Prius.
EVER raised more questions than it answered about Europe's current position on clean vehicles. Currently, shows and products from Japan and the USA are leading the way - Tesla's fully battery electric roadster hits driveways in just a few weeks - and one has the feeling that there is a market for similar products across Europe right now. Witness, for instance, the success of the Toyota Prius and G-wiz in London - where hybrids and electric cars are given exemption from the daily congestion charge.
And the final irony? Well with Europe's car makers barely able to muster a hybrid between them, Prince Albert II of Monaco has resorted to driving a Prius in his attempt to position Monaco as a European leader on sustainable vehicles.
Related Stories:
Art Center Summit - Designing Sustainable Mobility
New Cars: Tesla Roadster
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