A host of new greener vehicles will be making their North American debuts at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show from Dec. 4 through Dec. 13 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Mercedes-Benz will show off the fuel-sipping E350 BlueTEC and the fuel-cell-powered F-Cell. The company also will showcase the just-launched ML450 Hybrid, Mercedes-Benz’s first hybrid SUV.

Essentially an electric car that makes its own power on board, the new Mercedes-Benz F-Cell  has a range of about 240 miles and, running on compressed hydrogen, boasts an equivalent fuel mileage of 86.6 city-highway combined miles per gallon. In 2010, Mercedes-Benz says 200 production F-Cell cars will be delivered to customers in the U.S. and Europe as part of a special lease program.

The car show also will include the E350 BlueTEC,  powered by a 3.0-liter V6 diesel with 210 horsepower that delivers 400 lb.-ft. of torque and approximately 30 percent better fuel economy than a comparable gasoline engine. Mercedes-Benz says the car uses “AdBlue injection” that makes diesel exhaust super-clean. The E350 BlueTEC will go on sale in all 50 states in spring 2010.

Making its West Coast debut at the L.A. Auto Show, the Mercedes-Benz ML450 Hybrid uses a 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine, two electric motors and sophisticated electronics to produce more than 46 percent better fuel economy than a comparable V8-powered ML550 model. Integrated within the modified automatic transmission, each magneto-electric motor is dedicated to a specific purpose — one for pulling away under electric power, the other specifically for acceleration. With both electric motors, the ML450 Hybrid has a total system performance of 335 horsepower and 381 pound-feet of torque.

Honda concept shows potential of ultra-compact, city-focused vehicle

Honda will present the world debut of its Personal-Neo Urban Transport (P-NUT)  at at the Los Angeles Auto Show on Dec. 2. The company also plans to demonstrate a futuristic concept for an ultra-compact, aggressively designed coupe. The Advanced Design Studio of Honda R&D Americas in Los Angeles developed the P-NUT design study model.

Mazda to Unveil All-New Small Car at 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show

The 2011 MAZDA2 will make its North American debut at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show next month. (Photo: PRNewsFoto/Mazda North American Operations)

The 2011 MAZDA2 will make its North American debut at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show as well.  The vehicle will be sold in the U.S. and Canada beginning in late 2010.

Takashi Yamanouchi, representative director, president and CEO of Mazda Motor Corporation, will debut the car to media Dec. 2. In addition to a stock MAZDA2, a selection of unique MAZDA2 vehicles will be on display to showcase the car’s creative potential and versatility, the company said.

MAZDA2 has won 48 awards and has been recognized as Car of the Year in more than 20 countries.

Chevrolet to show its green side

Chevrolet said it will affirm its commitment to fuel solutions and building refined, eco-friendly vehicles with the debut of the U.S. production version of the Cruze sedan at the Los Angeles Auto Show on Dec. 2. The Cruze, along with the much-anticipated Volt electric vehicle, will give visitors to the L.A. show a close-up view of Chevrolet’s expanding lineup of gas-friendly to gas-free products.

“With expected highway fuel economy up to 40 miles per gallon, Cruze will be extremely gas friendly while the Volt electric vehicle can be operated gas-free,” Brent Dewar, vice presidentof Chevrolet, said in a statement. “Chevrolet’s focus is on forward-looking technologies to the benefit of our customers, such as the highly efficient, small-displacement turbocharged engine in the Cruze or the Volt electric vehicle with extended range.”

The Cruze has already launched in Europe and Asia. It goes on sale in the U.S. in the third quarter of 2010 but has already logged more than 4 million miles in quality and durability testing worldwide, making it one of the most globally tested Chevrolet products prior to a U.S. launch, the company said.

Cruze is designed to achieve class-leading highway fuel economy using a new family of efficient engines that include a 1.4L turbo.

The Chevrolet Volt is an electric vehicle with extended-range capability. It is expected to drive up to 40 miles on electricity without using gasoline or producing tailpipe emissions. When the Volt’s lithium-ion battery is depleted of energy, an engine/generator seamlessly operates to extend the total driving range to more than 300 miles before refueling.

Chevrolet said it will announce plans for initial retail markets where the Volt will be sold. Production for the Volt is expected to begin in late 2010. Pricing has not been announced.

From Nov. 27-29, the Volt will be on display next to Bloomingdale’s at the Westfield Century City mall in West Los Angeles. During regular mall hours, visitors to the Chevrolet Volt display may get two free tickets each to the L.A. Auto Show, while supplies last. The L.A. Auto Show opens to the public Dec. 4.

Don’t be fooled. Gasoline prices won’t be bumping around $2 a gallon for long. Driving a car with good fuel economy still makes sense. Higher mpg means lower operating costs for the household budget and fewer greenhouse gas emissions.

Happily, car shoppers today have a myriad of options among fuel frugal 2009 cars. You can find something getting 30 mpg or better on the highway at nearly every dealer lot. In some cases, you’ll have to settle for a trim line with a smaller engine and manual transmission to hit the 30 mpg mark.

Here are 30 with 30 mpg:

Audi TT

Gorgeous lines, 200-horsepower and a crisp six-speed manual transmission make the Audi TT a swell sports car. The fuel economy of the base 2-liter model makes it an earth-friendly sports car.
EPA estimated mpg: 22 city/30 highway