Given the grim financial condition of the auto industry, the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this week has been, by many accounts, a relatively somber affair.
At the same time, the industry appears to be on the brink of major technological change: many automakers this week announced plans to introduce electric cars of various types in the next two years.
Toyota plans to introduce an all-electric car in 2012, but it said its primary technology will be the gas-electric hybrid, used in the iconic Prius and now some Lexus models.
At the auto show, it introduced the next version of the
Honda, meanwhile, is relaunching its own challenger, the Honda Insight, which is now a five-door sedan that will be available in April.
CNET Car Tech blog writer Wayne Cunningham is at the conference, where he filed this photo gallery of the two cars. Check out CNET's complete coverage of the Detroit auto show.