Japan’s Hybrids May Leave Detroit in the Dirt

John O’Dell’s “The Year in Rearview” (Dec. 30) buried its mention of one of the most revolutionary developments for vehicle purchasers nationwide--the introduction to the U.S. market this year of environmentally friendly, gasoline-electric (or hybrid) vehicles by Honda Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp.

Honda’s just-arrived 2000 Insight and Toyota’s forthcoming 2001 Prius have great acceleration, travel twice as far on a tank of conventional gasoline and never need to be plugged in. Their high fuel efficiency and greatly reduced tailpipe emissions are almost incidental to their overall customer appeal. Another plus is that hybrid engine technology can be applied to any size vehicle.

Detroit currently has nothing on the market to compete with these attractive, affordable, less-polluting vehicles from Japan. General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. just announced plans to develop diesel-electric hybrids, but diesel engines will increase particulate emissions that can aggravate respiratory illnesses.

With Japanese companies the first to market hybrids, Detroit needs to move quickly to produce cars without the environmental trade-offs inherent in their current course. Otherwise, in the race to reach the clean-car market, Japan may leave Detroit in the dirt.

KEVIN MILLS

Senior attorney,

Environmental Defense

Washington