Mary Nichols to Moderate Session at L.A. Auto Show's Automobiles and the Environment Conference

19 November 1997

    LOS ANGELES, Nov. 19 -- Mary Nichols, former assistant
administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, has been added to
the high-profile roster of participants at the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show's
Automobiles and the Environment conference.  The half-day conference will be
held at the L.A. Convention Center on Tuesday, December 30, 1997 as part of
the Show's two Media Days.
    Nichols, who left the EPA this summer to direct a private Southern
California foundation, will moderate the conference's panel discussion on
Clean Fuels and Infrastructure.
    "This is yet another example of the quality of participants that
Automobiles and the Environment is attracting," said Ron Cogan, conference
director and editor/publisher of the Green Car Journal.  "Mary Nichols'
high-profile role at EPA, as well as her previous experience as chairwoman of
the California Air Resources Board and Secretary of the state's Environmental
Affairs department, placed her right in the middle of this developing field,"
said Cogan.  "She brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the clean
fuels discussion."
    Under Nichols' direction, this panel will examine the latest clean fuel
vehicle technologies and the issues involved in bringing alternative fuel
vehicles to market.  Importantly, panelists will also discuss how an
infrastructure will be developed to accommodate refueling the vehicles that
run on ethanol, methanol, natural gas and electricity.  The infrastructure
issue is particularly important considering the massive number of 1998 model
year ethanol/gasoline vehicles that Chrysler is bringing to American highways.
    Two other panel discussions, Electric Vehicles and Hybrid Electric
Vehicles, will be presented.  These will be moderated by Bob Hayden, executive
director of the Electric Vehicle Association of the Americas.
    The Electric Vehicle session will discuss the technical, economic, and
marketing issues involving the first wave of commercially-available EVs in
this country, which are offered by Chrysler, Ford, GM, Honda, Nissan and
Toyota.  These are the very crucial issues upon which the electric vehicle's
initial market success depends.
    In the Hybrid Electric Vehicle session, panelists will discuss where the
electric vehicle goes from here.  Automakers, as well as prominent EV
component developers such as Unique Mobility and Maxwell Technologies, will
share important details of how the industry is incorporating advanced
powertrain technologies to create the high-tech, low-emissions vehicles
consumers will be driving in just a few short years.
    "Automobiles and the Environment promises to be a significant event where
journalists and industry observers are brought up to speed on the very latest
innovations in this field," said Cogan.  "Everyone will come away from these
sessions with a better understanding of where the electric and alternative
fuel vehicle field is now, and importantly, where it's going."
    For Show and conference registration information, call PR Newswire's
fax-on-demand service at 888-LAAUTO-9, or the L.A. Auto Show's web site,
located at http://www.laautoshow.com.
    For further information, contact VL Communications at 916-362-3400.

SOURCE  Greater Los Angeles Auto Show