NY Auto Show notebook: Subaru shows off electric car

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
2:15 PM EDT, March 21, 2008

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Subaru of America Inc. showed off the automaker's R1e electric car Thursday, saying it's fun to drive while also being easy to charge and emissions free.

The R1e has a range of 50 miles and can post a top speed of 65 mph. It can charge to 80 percent capacity in 15 minutes using a dedicated charger, or be fully charged overnight with a regular domestic outlet, Tim Mahoney, Subaru of America's chief marketing officer, told reporters at the New York International Auto Show.

The vehicle's lithium-ion battery has an estimated life of 10 years or 100,000 miles, largely eliminating battery replacement problems, Mahoney said.

"We at Subaru just don't talk about green issues -- we put our talk into action," Mahoney said. "The R1e is being readied for delivery to customers in Japan and now Subaru is looking at world markets such as the U.S. as part of that global outreach."

As part of the vehicle's evaluation in the U.S., Mahoney said the New York Power Authority, which runs power plants across the state, is putting two of the vehicles in to service and their performance will be monitored over the next few months.

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American supercar maker Saleen has a new concept car that runs on ethanol.

The S5S Raptor was unveiled Thursday at the New York International Auto Show. The Raptor has a 5-liter, supercharged V-8 that gets 650 horsepower.

"This car is both mean and clean," Saleen President and Chief Executive Paul Wilbur said.

Wilbur wouldn't say whether the car will be produced, saying the Troy, Mich.-based company wants to get some consumer reaction first.

Saleen also unveiled a limited-edition Mustang named for American racing legend Dan Gurney and designed to reflect the Trans Am he drove in 1969. Only 300 of the cars will be made, and they'll feature a 4.6-liter, 465-horsepower V-8 engine that Gurney and his sons helped tune. The Gurney edition will be available this spring.

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Mayor Michael Bloomberg says a new $10 million prize to develop more fuel-efficient cars will help reduce the country's dependence on oil.

Bloomberg was at the New York International Auto Show on Thursday to help introduce the Automotive X Prize, which will award $10 million to teams that develop production-ready cars that get 100 miles to the gallon or more.

"We really need some new thinking. We need some innovation," Bloomberg said. "I don't think there's any bigger threat to our world and to our country than global warming and our dependency on oil, and the automobile is really at the root of both of those things."

X Prize Foundation Chairman and Chief Executive Dr. Peter Diamandis stressed that the competition will focus on cars that people really could drive.

"We're not talking about concept cars. We're talking about real cars that can be brought to market in the near term that consumers will want to buy," he said.

The Santa Monica, Calif.-based X Prize Foundation said 64 teams from 10 countries already have signed up to participate in the competition, which will include cross-country races in 2009 and 2010. Progressive Casualty Insurance Co. is funding the prize.

Bloomberg, who is a billionaire, joked that he might want to fund a prize of his own someday. The X Prize Foundation is best known for prizes promoting space flights.

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Tom Incantalupo

Tom Incantalupo

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