2010 Cars

A concept vehicle or show vehicle is a car prototype made to showcase a concept, new styling, technology and more. They are often shown at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not have a chance of being produced.

General Motors designer Harley Earl is generally credited with inventing the concept, or show, car, and did much to popularize it through its traveling Motorama shows of the 1950s.

Concept cars never go into production directly; in modern times all would have to undergo many changes before the design is finalized for the sake of practicality, safety and cost. A "production-intent" vehicle, as opposed to a concept vehicle, serves this purpose.Chrysler "Jolts" PHEV Race; PHEV Ads; V2Green Acquired, Sep 24, 2008, CalCars (California Cars Initiative)

An alternative fuel vehicle is a vehicle that runs on a fuel other than "traditional" petroleum fuels (petrol or diesel); any method of powering an engine that does not involve solely petroleum (e.g. electric car, petrol-electric hybrid, solar powered). Due to a combination of heavy taxes on fuel, particularly in Europe; tightening environmental laws, particularly in California; the potential for peak oil, and the possibility of further restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions, work on alternative power systems for vehicles has become a high priority for governments and vehicle manufacturers around the world.

Hybrid vehicles such as the Toyota Prius are not actually alternative fuel vehicles, but through advanced technologies in the the electric battery and motor/generator, they make a more efficient use of petroleum fuel.http://www.claverton-energy.com/revealed-how-the-hybrid-car-works.html. The first hybrid vehicle available for sale in the United States was the Honda Insight, achieving around 70 miles per gallon (3.4 liters per 100 km). Other research and development efforts in alternative forms of power focus on developing fuel cells, alternative forms of combustion such as GDI and HCCI, and even the stored energy of compressed air (see Air Engine).

Between 2008 and 2009 there were around 32 million alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles in the world roads, representing around 5% of the world's automobile fleet. See Figure 1.2: The 2009 worldwide automobile fleet is estimated in around 650 million automobiles, with a total motor vehicle fleet of 1,2 billion including motorcycles, trucks and buses. This alternative fuel fleet is made up mainly of:

* 17,1 million flexible-fuel vehicles as of mid 2009, led by Brazil with 8.2 million, followed by the United States (almost 8 million), Canada (600,000), and Europe, led by Sweden (311,122).

* 9,6 million natural gas vehicles by 2008, led by Pakistan (2.0 million), Argentina (1.7 million), Brazil (1.6 million), Iran (1.0 million), and India (650 thousand).

* Between 2.4 to 3.0 million neat-ethanol vehicles still in use in Brazil, out of 5.7 million ethanol only light-vehicles produced since 1979.

* More than 2 million hybrid electric vehicles, with almost half of them in the United States, followed by Japan and Europe,December 2008 Dashboard: The Key Is Production Numbers with Toyota Motor Company hybrid models leading with more than 2 million units sold by August 2009.

Greasestock is an event held yearly in Yorktown Heights, New York, and is one of the largest showcases of alternative fuel vehicles in the United States.Norman, Jim. "Where There's Never an Oil Shortage". New York Times. May 13, 2007.Tillman, Adriane. "Greasestock Festival returns, bigger and better". May 14, 2008."Greasestock 2008". Greasestock. Retrieved May 20, 2008.Max, Josh. "Gas-guzzlers become veggie delights at Greasestock in Yorktown Heights". Daily News. May 13, 2008."Greasestock 2008: Alternative Fuel, Fun and French Fries". Natural Awakenings. May 2008. Sustainable transport options. Dr Mark Barrett. Claverton Energy Conference April 2008