Lessons From Detroit: Smaller, Lighter, Greener
Amid the measured speeches and somber undertones at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, automakers mapped out promising plans for getting the auto industry back on track. Efforts don’t hinge on any single piece of technology or strategy, but rather on a confluence of incremental improvements that will add up to make automobiles smaller, lighter and greener.
“There will be no revolutions,” says Wolfgang Hatz, Audi board member for engineering. “What will happen is a downsizing of vehicles, making them more lightweight, and increasingly fuel efficient.”
Boosting fuel economy has been an issue at the forefront of the industry for some time, but a trend that emerged at the Detroit show indicates luxury automakers, which typically have placed a low priority on fuel efficiency, are getting serious about it.
Cadillac’s Converj Concept, Lincoln’s C Concept and Mercedes-Benz’s BlueZERO each give a different take on eco-friendly solutions that don’t compromise on style or luxury. And they’re all much smaller than vehicles these companies currently sell in the United States.
While Bentley and Maserati, even higher up the luxury scale, didn’t unveil pint-sized concepts, they pledged to focus on increasing fuel economy and reducing emissions. Bentley’s first steps focus on “flex-fuel” engines that can run on either gasoline or ethanol, a renewable fuel made from plants. The company will unveil its first flex-fuel vehicle at the Geneva Motor Show in March.
Looking beyond fuel economy, serious efforts are under way to spread the environmental crusade into every aspect of automotive engineering, design and production. Upstart Fisker Automotive of Irvine, Calif., is showing initiative with the materials it uses inside the production Karma sedan and Karma S Convertible Concept, both of which debuted at the show. A high-end “eco-chic” interior package uses upholstery with fibers made from bamboo, a renewable resource, as well as wood reclaimed from forest fires and fallen trees. “We don’t want to chop down trees to make our cars,” said Alexander Klatt, director of interior design for Fisker Automotive.
The carpets in every Fisker will be 100 percent wool, with backing made mostly of flax, rather than rubber. Portions of the center console and door panels will incorporate tempered glass, not only for style, but also to reduce the amount of petroleum-based plastic used on the interior, said Fairuz Jane Schlecht, Fisker Automotive’s color and material design manager.
Automotive supplier Johnson Controls previewed its own eco-friendly interior parts and materials on the re3 Concept car. Unlike the ultra-exclusive and expensive Fisker materials, Johnson Controls’ products could be mass-produced for use in affordable cars.
The company also previewed solutions designed to provide “more room in less space,” anticipating that automakers will start offering smaller cars in greater numbers.
Lest you think the fun of driving will evaporate as carmakers shrink their vehicles and engines, companies such as Volkswagen will make sure the joy of motoring persists. The German automaker’s BlueSport roadster proves this point by offering sports-car looks and performance while delivering 55 mpg on the highway.
Meanwhile, MINI’s new Cooper Convertible illustrates that even existing cars can be made lighter without making them smaller; it’s 22 pounds lighter, yet stiffer than the model it replaces. That might not sound like much, but considering that the vast majority of cars usually weigh more than the models they replace — sometimes by hundreds of pounds — it’s no small feat, especially in a convertible model burdened by a complex folding top and added structural reinforcements.
Like the 3- to 5-mpg better fuel economy of the Cooper Convertible’s new engines, these incremental improvements exemplify the baby steps every automaker will be taking on the march toward a cleaner, greener future.
