Japanese Lead Eco-Car Race

While presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama speak of the need for less reliance on foreign fuel, and for some odd reason even talking of off shore drilling that won't even help us for another 20 years, the Japanese automakers are producing cars that rely on alternative fuel already. The Detroit automakers are on the other hand acting as if someone needs to hit them on the head with a paella pan to wake up as they are trailing by miles in the development and manufacturing of Eco-friendly alternative fuel vehicles in the world market.

According to Newsweek, Japanese automakers are now going to the next level, entering the green-car mass market, in many cases years before their competitors.

Nissan plans to introduce an electric vehicle to the United States and Japan by 2010, with a global rollout in 2012. Toyota is road-testing a plug-in hybrid and plans to launch it in 2009. Honda is preparing for the launch of a new car highly anticipated for its innovative green technologies, including its state-of-the-art battery. Mazda will offer the world's first hydrogen-gasoline hybrid in Japan by next March. "Globally, Japanese companies are definitely at the top right now, and I expect them to remain No. 1 in the future," says Mike Omotoso, an auto analyst for J.D. Power and Associates. "It's definitely having a positive impact on the Japanese economy."