Must See Alternative Fuel Cars of the LA Auto Show 2014

The alternative fuel cars of today have definitely evolved from being the tiny (and tinny) hybrids of just a few years ago. The biggest highlights of the alternative fuel cars on show at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show are dominiated by luxury brands and technologies that move beyond hybrids.

Not content with its efforts toward reduced consumption in its luxury cars with diesel, smaller turbocharged engines, and lightweight materials, Mercedes-Benz is jumping on the hybrid bandwagon with the S550 e plug-in hybrid. This isn’t the first time Mercedes-Benz has introduced a hybrid S-class, but it is the first plug-in.

What’s changed?The badge may say “550,” but this S-class is not powered by a V-8 with a displacement close to 5.0 liters. Instead, underhood is a 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V-6, which makes 436 horsepower when combined with the output from an electric motor. Ironically, the most logical element to the S550 e’s name is the e itself, which reflects new Mercedes-Benz nomenclature. Little is changed about the way the S550 e looks, inside and out, although a lithium-ion battery pack takes up significant trunk space.

When is it available? The Mercedes-Benz S550 e will be available for purchase in the third quarter of 2015.

How much? Approximately $100,000

The Toyota Mirai is a hydrogen-fueled zero-emissions sedan that will go on sale in Japan this coming December. It gets about 300 miles on a single tank, which can be re-filled in just five minutes. The Mirai’s hydrogen fuel cell generates electricity by combining hydrogen with oxygen, in effect replacing a traditional battery. Hydrogen fuel stations are few and far between, which means that adoption of the Mirai – once it eventually gets to the United States – will likely be a slow process.

What changed?  The Mirai is an all-new model.

When is it available?  The Toyota Mirai is actually going to go 'on sale' in very limited numbers in certain markets 3rd quarter of 2015, with broader expansion by 2017.

How much?  Pricing for the Mirai has not been released.

BMW’s X3 “Sports Activity Vehicle” was one of the first models in the luxury compact crossover segment when it was launched over ten years ago. Lauded for deftly blending athletic dynamics with family orientation, X3 made hauling the kids a fun activity. You’ll happily take the long way through the back roads at the wheel of an X3. And now, you can do so while getting even better fuel economy, thanks to the turbocharged 2.0-liter diesel engine BMW’s fitted to the X3’s platform. Producing 180 horsepower and 280 ft-lbs of torque, the engine also returns 30 miles per gallon on the highway—with an all-wheel drive powertrain. An eight-speed automatic transmission, along with an automatic engine stop/start function helps the X3’s accomplishments in this endeavor.

What changed? Diesel power comes to BMW’s X3

When is it available? On sale now

How much? Pricing starts at $42,000

When BMW’s innovative X5 SUV debuted back in 1999, an entirely new concept was introduced. Suddenly, here was a fun to drive SUV with tremendous roadholding, powerful engines, and the undeniable cachet of the blue and white roundel badging. BMW is poised to reinvent the segment once again with the X5 e-Drive Plug-in Hybrid.  Power comes from a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 240 horsepower and 255 ft-lbs of torque, paired with an electric motor good for 95 horsepower and 185 ft-lbs. Total system output is 270 horsepower and 300 ft-lbs of torque. Fuel economy should be in the 40-mpg range. On electric power alone, X5 e-Drive Plug-in is capable of traveling up to 20 miles, or at speeds of up to 75 mph.

What changed? BMW’s first plug-in hybrid X5

When is it available? Late 2015

How much? Pricing has yet to be announced

The BMW of electric cars breaks no real new ground in the segment, and yet it manages to come across as an entirely new concept. Perched on the equivalent of a lightweight aluminum skateboard containing its mechanicals and battery pack, the rear-drive BMW i3 is a miracle of modern packaging. Power comes from a 170-horsepower electric motor. A two-cylinder gasoline generator can be fitted as an option to extend its range to approximately 150 miles over the 96 miles of the battery-only version of the car. The i3’s optional DC fast charger can fully recharge the battery pack in 30 minutes.

What changed? New for the 2014 model year, BMW’s i3 is only now starting to be seen on the street

 When is it available? The model is available at dealers now

How much? BMW i3 pricing starts at $41,350, i3 with the Range Extender starts at $45,200

BMW i8 propels the company’s design language into previously uncharted territory. Power comes from a hybrid system featuring a 1.5-liter three-cylinder turbocharged gasoline engine with 231 horsepower and 236 ft-lbs of torque feeding the rear wheels through a six-speed automatic gearbox. This is teamed with an electric motor capable of generating 131 horsepower and 184 ft-lbs of torque feeding the front wheels through a two-stage automatic transmission. The lithium-ion high-voltage battery pack—cooled with refrigerant—boasts 5 kWh of capacity. Total system output for the all-wheel drive coupe is 362 horsepower and 420 ft-lbs of torque. Acceleration from zero to 60 takes 4.2 seconds. The i8 can travel 22 miles, or at speeds of up to 75 miles per hour on electric power.

What changed? All-new for 2014, i8 goes into 2015 with no changes

When is it available? On sale now

How much? Pricing starts at $135,700

Tired of paying for gas? The 2015 Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell allows you to benefit from the practical, five-passenger capacity of a modern compact crossover while swapping out its gasoline engine in favor of a hydrogen fuel cell. Even better: Hyundai actually pays for the hydrogen that you consume while driving the 134 horsepower Tucson Fuel Cell around, which features a 265-mile range on a full tank of fuel . There are a couple of caveats though, namely that very few hydrogen fuel stations exist, and that you can't actually buy this Tucson Fuel Cell from Hyundai - it's lease-only.

What changed? Aside from its hydrogen fuel cell, the rest of the Tucson carries over from the previous model year.

When is it available? The Hyundai is on offer right now, but only if you live within a certain distance of a charging station and have gone through the automaker's ownership evaluation process.

How much? The Tucson Fuel Cell lease will run you $499 a month for 36 months of $2,999 down.

For those of you who miss the five-door hatchback iteration of Audi’s A3, don’t fret, the company’s bringing it back next year. Like its gasoline-powered sedan and convertible siblings, it will look like an Audi, drive like an Audi, and offer the type of equipment you expect from the Ingolstadt-based automaker. Plus, the diesel-powered Audi A3 TDI Sportback will be one of the most fuel-efficient models you can buy when it goes on sale. Power is expected to come from a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine producing 150 horsepower and 236 ft-lbs of torque. A six-speed dual-clutch automated manual transmission routes power to the A3 TDI Sportback’s front wheels. Fuel economy is expected to be at least 42 mpg on the highway.

What Changed? Diesel power for the 2016 model year

When Is It Available? Summer 2015

How Much? Pricing has yet to be announced

Audi’s first plug-in hybrid claims an amazing 157 miles per gallon in (admittedly optimistic) European testing. While that claim is currently being debated in Green Car forums all over the Internet, we’ll paraphrase the well-worn caveat, “Your results most assuredly will vary.” Although, who’s to say which way? At any rate, motive force comes from Audi’s 150 horsepower, 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 184 ft-lbs of torque, which is teamed with a 102-horsepower electric motor capable of generating 243 ft-lbs of torque. The motor is supplied electricity from an 8.8 kWh battery pack. Total system output is 204 horsepower and 258 ft-lbs of torque. A six-speed dual clutch automated manual feeds the front wheels. A3 e-Tron’s electric-only range is quoted at 31 miles.

What Changed? A plug-in hybrid powertrain for Audi’s A3 is introduced this year.

When Is It Available? Summer 2015

How Much? $40,000 (est.)

While it isn’t the first mid-engine hybrid sports car, the eye-arresting Porsche 918 Spyder is the first V8-powered mid-engine Porsche hybrid sports car. Developed from scratch, the 918 Spyder literally started with a blank computer screen, and unleashes performance you’ll have see to believe. The handsome muscularly styled body contains the 918 Spyder’s 608-horsepower V8, which displaces 4.6-liters and operates in conjunction with a pair of electric motors to generate a total system output of 887 horsepower and 944 ft-lbs of torque. The V8 engine feeds the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual clutch transmission, while one of the electric motors also energizes the rear wheels and the other feeds the front—making the 918 Spyder the first all-wheel drive mid-engine Porsche sports car.

What changed? All-new for the 2015 model year

When s it available? On sale now

How much? Pricing starts at $845,000

While the styling update for Porsche’s bestselling model is an immediately discernable change for the 2015 model year, we’re talking about Porsche, so there’s excitement under the skin too. Based on the Panamera S E Hybrid’s mechanicals, the new Porsche Cayenne S E Hybrid is capable of running at speeds of up to 78 miles per hour in its electric mode. Porsche’s third plug-in model, the Cayenne S E-Hybrid boasts a total system output of 416 horsepower and 435 ft-lbs of torque. Its gasoline fired 3.0-liter supercharged V6 engine makes 333 horsepower and 325 ft-lbs of torque, while its electric motor is good for 95 horsepower and 229 ft-lbs of torque. Porsche’s eight-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission routes the power output into the all-wheel drive system.

What changed? Cayenne Hybrid is reworked for 2015

When is it available? On sale now

How much? Pricing starts at $76,400

You know a company is confident of its prowess in the diesel arena when it deigns to fit its flagship luxury sedan with an oil-burning powerplant. Of course, this is no ordinary oil-burning powerplant. BMW’s 740Ld xDrive flaunts a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder diesel, which makes 255 horsepower and an awe-inspiring 423 ft-lbs of torque at just 1500 rpm. This is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Zero to 60 is quoted at 6.1 seconds, and the EPA says to expect 31 miles per gallon on the highway. Keep in mind; we're talking about nearly 5000 pounds of all-wheel drive ultra luxury sedan with acceleration rivaling that of two-seat sports cars and the fuel economy equaling that of a number of miserly compact cars.

What changed? Diesel power comes to BMW’s all-wheel drive flagship.

When is it available? On sale now.

How much? Pricing starts at $82,500

Thanks to the introduction of a battery EV version of its funky little high-top tennis shoe, Kia’s Soul becomes the first Korean manufacturer’s battery EV offering in the U.S. Currently (please pardon the pun) sold only in California; the model will also see Oregon, New York, New Jersey, and Maryland in 2015. Soul EV uses a 190-horsepower electric motor with 210 ft-lbs of torque, powered by a 27kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Range is quoted at 93 miles. Fitted with ports for both Level 1 and Level 2 charging, a full recharge takes approximately five hours with a 240-volt charger. DC fast charging is also available, bringing the battery pack to 80 percent of capacity from depletion in 33 minutes.

What changed? Electric power comes to Kia’s Soul.

When Is it available? On sale now in California, with wider availability in 2015.

How much? Pricing starts at $26,200

The first electric Volkswagen offered to American consumers, the VW e-Golf brings all the attributes of the marque’s beloved hatchback to electric motoring. The e-Golf features a 115-horsepower electric motor capable of 199 ft-lbs of torque. Power is stored in a 22kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The electric Volkswagen boasts three driver-selectable regeneration modes to produce and store additional electricity while underway, along with 93 cubic feet of cargo capacity. Range is estimated at approximately 90 miles. Recharging takes four hours with a 240-volt recharger. A DC fast charger can pump up to 80 percent of capacity into the battery pack in about 30 minutes. Standard features include LED headlights, touchscreen navigation, heated front seats, Bluetooth, satellite radio, a rearview camera, and a rear parking sensor array.

What changed? Electric power comes to VW’s venerable Golf

When is it available? On sale now

How much? Pricing starts at $35,445

Subaru’s hot-selling little crossover suv-let combines the brand’s venerable 148-horsepower, 2.0-liter horizontally opposed four with a continuously variable transmission, all-wheel drive, and an electric motor for a total system output of 160 horsepower and 163 ft-lbs of torque. Its fuel economy is rated at 29 miles per gallon in the city, 33 on the highway, and 31 combined. Standard features include roof rails, heated mirrors, de-icing for the windshield wipers, automatic climate control, active grille shutters for improved aerodynamic efficiency, leather upholstery, and a rearview camera. Options include sunroof, navigation, and smartphone integration. The new STARLINK Multimedia system uses a 6.2-inch touchscreen display to provide a multitude of music and information sources.

What changed? New infotainment systems, and more creature comforts have been added to the hybrid Subaru for the 2015 model year.

When is it available? On sale now

How much? Pricing starts at $25,995.

Yes, there is an electric Mercedes-Benz now, although Tesla Motors did its electrical engineering. Hey, this is not a drawback; one thing they do know in Palo Alto is electro—OK?  Powertrain aside, this is a true Mercedes-Benz. The B-Class shares its basic platform with the front-drive CLA-Class cars. Standard features include automatic wipers, the Mercedes COMAND interface, Bluetooth telephony and audio streaming, as well as GPS navigation. The 174-horsepower electric motor powers the front wheels and produces 251 ft-lbs of torque. Power comes from a 28kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Range is estimated at 87 miles. Recharging takes approximately 3.5 hours with a 240-volt recharging system. All the benefits of an EV with a three-pointed star—what’s not to love?

What changed? Introduced late in 2014, the model goes into 2015 with no changes.

When is it available? On sale now

How much? Pricing starts at $41,450.