2007 L.A. Auto Show Faves

10) Volvo C30 Recharge Concept

Running batteries alone the C30 Recharge has range of 62 miles. As the batteries wane an internal combustion engine kicks on to create more juice for the wheel-mounted electric motors. The engine can be manufactured to run on a variety of existing or future biofuels. The Recharge is an example of a "series hybrid." The combustion engine is not used to power the wheels directly, but rather spins a generator. Freed from the ever-changing demands of a transmission, the engine can run at peak efficiency and emissions can be tightly controlled. To see a series hybrid in action look no further than a diesel locomotive. Trains have been using this sort of arrangement for many years.