Big 3 Showcase Fuel Efficiency at Washington Auto Show

The Big 3's Vision of Fuel Efficiency.

Yesterday, GM kicked off its three-pronged hybrid vehicle strategy at that Washington Auto Show.

The "low-cost" Chevrolet Silverado pickup, which barely qualifies as hybrid in my opinion, will be followed by the 'mild' Saturn Vue Greenline sport utility vehicle and, finally, GM's two-mode hybrid system will be installed on the Chevy Tahoe hybrid in 2008.

Soon the Ford Escape hybrid will run on gasoline or on any gasoline and E-85 combination. Ford is currently testing the Flex-Fuel Escape hybrid and plans to offer the technology in future models. According to Ford the technology only costs a few hundred dollars. Additionally, Ford is considering the Reflex Diesel hybrid vehicle.

Of course not all the news coming out of Detroit was about hybrid cars.

DaimlerChrysler is pimping its new diesels powered by the Bluetec diesel emissions-control system, which will offer much cleaner and fuel efficient diesel performance.

(More from the Detroit News)..