Detroit is Losing the Race for Cleaner Cars

"Like junkies hooked on SUV profits, Detroit's automakers continue to fight stronger fuel economy standards. Meanwhile, Japanese policymakers have bet on hybrids, and in Europe a generation of cleaner, more fuel-efficient diesel engines accounts for half of new car sales. Toyota's trendy hybrid, the Prius, has given the company a head start not only in hybrid technology but in navigating new business realities. "Toyota is lapping the field," says Roland Hwang, vehicles policy director for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). "It must be scary for Detroit to think about how many real-world miles these guys have on their technology."