As I fly into the Los Angeles Auto Show, I wondering if this year's show and the slew of "green" models being rolled out will matter to people.
Don't get me wrong, I think there is a growing appetite among buyers for hybrids and fuel cell cars. But the new models being introduced don't stand out.
What do I mean?
For the most part the new hybrids being rolled out look exactly like the current models that have standard internal combustion engine. For example, the new Chevy Tahoe hybrid will look, on the outside, exactly like the standard Chevy Tahoe. As a result, when new "green models" roll out in L.A. the reaction may be a collective yawn.
Whether or not you are a car nut, the fact is auto shows "connect" with people when they show new, interesting, and different looking models. Sure, many of them are concept cars that we'll never see on the road, but they are models that get people talking. I have never heard someone say, "man, the hybrid version of a certain model is hot".
So as you watch L.A.'s "green show", remember that the message of fuel efficiency is what the automakers are selling, not the "style and look" of the new cars because there won't be much.
Questions? Comments? BehindTheWheel@cnbc.com
