New Hybrid Cars at the Detroit Car Show

Editor's Note: This column appears in conjunction with Dave Long's presentation at EMS Expo 2007, "New Car Anatomy from the 2007 Detroit Auto Show." For more information visit www.emsexpo2007.com.

Automakers have sold several different hybrid electric vehicle models across America's car dealerships over the last 6 years, (or about 2% of total motor vehicle sales,) but many car manufacturers are introducing more hybrid electric vehicles (HEV's) for the consumer. For all EMS responders, the challenge will be to educate ourselves about the new smorgasbord of components in hybrid vehicles and how to work around these vehicles safely before we respond to a crash or incident.

The vehicle manufacturers publish Emergency Response Guides (ERG's) on several web site locations and you should get to know them before a crash or vehicle incident. I have them assembled in a three ring binder and you should too. At the 2007 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit at the Cobo Arena, more HEV's are coming and even more are being tested and driven as "concept" hybrid vehicles before they arrive on our roadways.

The Ford Motor Company, the first with a "full hybrid" SUV, gets a new look on the exterior for 2008. The Mercury Mariner Hybrid and the Mazda Tribute Hybrid SUV share the same "full" hybrid electric vehicle technology components as the current Ford Escape Hybrid and they too get a new styling for 2008. Mazda planned their full availability and production release for this spring of 2007. The identification branding on the front of the vehicle has changed from the word "Hybrid" with the green leaf logo to just the "green leaf" and "globe logo" on the 2008 models. Under the hood and in the trunk, they appear to be similar HEV technology as the previous Ford hybrid model.

Some taxicab fleets in major U.S. cities have switched to the Escape Hybrid's "full hybrid" technology as a result of some metropolitan clean air initiatives.

"The Escape Hybrid has been driven over 150,000 miles with virtually no problems," according to Mark Kaufman, Ford Motor Company. Ford also announced that the Ford Fusion and the Mercury Milan will also be hybrid vehicles as well. Also planned to be hybrid vehicles in the future in 2008 are the Ford Edge, Mazda CX-7, and Lincoln MKX crossover vehicles.

For the current Emergency Response Guide to the Ford and Mercury Hybrids, see www.motorcraftservice.com.

Ford stepped ahead with a plug-in hydrogen fuel cell and hybrid electric vehicle, the futuristic crossover called the Ford Airstream Concept vehicle, and spotlighted an attractive display. Nancy Gioya, Ford Motor Company's Sustainability Director, was flooded with interviews on this new concept Hy Series and Airstream.

It's a plug-in electric fuel cell power train with a 336 Volt lithium ion battery and a 130 Kwh electric system reaching speeds of 85mph, and it operates on electric at all times. The hydrogen fuel tank is center mounted running the mid length of the concept vehicle. Lithium ion batteries are currently more expensive than the traditional NIMH hybrid vehicle batteries, but are more efficient and more cost effective in the long run of the life of the vehicle. The advanced fuel system is half the weight and cost of today's fuel cells and can operate in the dead of winter for the colder climates.

Nissan unveiled the Altima Hybrid as a 4-door hybrid sedan with "similar hybrid technology as the Toyota," according to Robert Yakushi of Nissan. The HV components under the hood and in the trunk looked very similar to the Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive to me. The HV cables are orange under the hood and the vehicle says "Hybrid" on the tailgate and the front doors. The 12V battery is in the right side of the trunk and the HV battery is behind the rear seat. The HV cables were hidden underneath the vehicle under body panels and were not visible to me.