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<h2><b><font size=5 face=Arial><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Auto
makers pegging hopes on electric, hybrid vehicles<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h2>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>14/1/09:</span></font><font
face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><b><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
font-weight:bold'>Auto makers are pegging their hopes for a recovery on
electric and hybrid vehicles, with a large number of prototypes unveiled at the
North American International Auto Show this week.</span></font></b><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Daimler,
<st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Toyota</st1:place></st1:City> and
General Motors, as well as industry newcomer BYD of China showcased new
electric vehicles, while several others announced plans for battery-powered
cars and trucks by 2012.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Manufacturers
point to buyers' preoccupations of late with tailpipe emissions linked to
global warming, and soaring petrol prices -- which have actually retreated in
recent months but are trending upwards over the longterm.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'>"The
technology is available for production" today, said Thomas Weber of <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Germany</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s
Daimler, which unveiled a prototype for an electric vehicle called BlueZero.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'>The
car will be able to drive 200 kilometres (125 miles) on a single charge, or 400
kilometres (250 miles) for a hybrid version that relies on a small combustion
engine to recharge its battery.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'>But
mass production is still "a few years" away, said Weber, pointing to
two challenges that must first be overcome: making it affordable, and building
public infrastructure to charge the car's batteries.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Daimler
chief executive Dieter Zetsche said the company is aiming to build 10,000 of
the units by 2011-2012.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Ford,
meanwhile, announced plans for a small electric vehicle developed with Canadian
auto parts giant Magna International, to be launched in 2011.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'>"Drive
green," shouted its banners at the <st1:City w:st="on">Detroit</st1:City>
auto show to highlight its commitment to roll out a litany of electric and
hybrid vehicles in <st1:place w:st="on">North America</st1:place> over the next
four years.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'>"Next-generation
hybrids, plug-in hybrids and pure battery-powered vehicles are the logical next
steps in our pursuit of greater fuel economy and sustainability," said
Derrick Kuzak, Ford's vice-president of product development.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'>General
Motors also affirmed its commitment to develop alternative energy vehicles with
the presentation of the latest version of its long-awaited Chevrolet Volt
electric car, to be launched at the end of 2010.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'>GM
vice-president Bob Lutz said sales of electric or hybrid vehicles could make up
20 to 25 per cent of the auto market by 2020.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'>The
number of small electric cars destined for urban use and electric offshoots of
standard car models is increasing exponentially with each new auto show. The
latest is <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Toyota</st1:place></st1:City>'s
FT-EV showcased here that will launch in 2012.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'>But
<st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Toyota</st1:place></st1:City>'s main
focus at this show was its third generation Prius hybrid, the world's best
selling hybrid with one million sold in the past decade. The new model, which
boasts 50 miles per gallon, will go on sale next year.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Its
main competitor Honda, not wanting to be outdone, showed off its new hybrid
sedan Insight, which goes on sale in April in <st1:place w:st="on">North
America</st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'>The
goal is to woo "an entirely new group of buyers that previously may not
have considered a hybrid because of either image or cost," explained John
Mendel, executive vice-president of Honda USA.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Newcomer
BYD of China meanwhile presented journalists a prototype for its all-electric
vehicle, called "e6", and announced that its hybrid F3DM, launched in
<st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region> last month, will be
available in the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United
States</st1:place></st1:country-region> in 2011.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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</span></font></div>
<p><b><i><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
Arial;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic'>Source: industrysearch.com.au</span></font></i></b><i><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:
italic'><br>
http://www.industrysearch.com.au/News/viewrecord.aspx?id=36331</span></font></i><font
face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Lorraine</span></font></st1:place></st1:State><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> Tran</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Curriculum Manager, P - 12 Design and Technology</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA)</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on"><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>41 St Andrews
Place</span></font></st1:address></st1:Street><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:place w:st="on"><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>East Melbourne</span></font></st1:place><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> 3002</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><a href="http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au">http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au</a></span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Email: <a href="mailto:tran.lorraine.i@edumail.vic.gov.au">tran.lorraine.i@edumail.vic.gov.au</a></span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Telephone: (03) 9651 4407</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Mobile</span></font></st1:place></st1:City><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>:
041 933 1630</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><i><font
size=1 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:Arial;
color:black;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic'>The Victorian Curriculum and
Assessment Authority provides high quality curriculum, assessment and reporting
that promotes individual life long learning.</span></font></i></b><i><font
color=green><span style='color:green;font-style:italic'><o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
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size=1 color="#007f00" face=Verdana><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:7.0pt;
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