GENERAL MOTORS CORP (U.S.)

The low cost of petrol in the U.S. has discouraged efforts to cut fuel consumption and led GM to scrap its most efficient U.S. gasoline models, the Chevrolet Metro and Chevrolet Prizm.

The world's biggest automaker was a ecological pioneer in the 1990s with its EV1, the world's first mass-produced electric car, though it proved a flop, costing it over $1 billion.

GM says it spends more than $1 billion annually on fuel-cell technology, partly through a host of joint ventures, but does not expect many fuel-cell cars to reach highways before 2010.

In Paris, GM will display the Hy-Wire fuel-cell prototype, which uses electronics to operate the car instead of cables.

The U.S. firm aims to bring out a hybrid electric-petrol full-size pick-up truck in its domestic market in 2004, which will cut fuel consumption by 10 to 15 percent. FORD MOTOR CO (U.S.)

Ford's Fiesta model in Europe, with a direct injection engine developed with Peugeot, gets 27 kilometres out of a litre of diesel out of town, putting it in the top flight of fuel-efficient carmakers.

But a cost cutting drive aimed at ending hefty losses at the number-two automaker has prompted Ford Chairman Bill Ford Jr to say that further efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions "will be tempered by our near-term business realities."

Ford is closing its Think Norwegian electric car venture, in which it had invested $100 million, due to disappointing sales.

It has brought out several fuel-cell concepts in the last two years and is working with Ballard Power Systems on further ones, though it sees production vehicles as a long way off.

A hybrid version of its Escape compact SUV is due out late next year.

TOYOTA MOTOR CORP (Japan)

Most analysts view Toyota as the leader in environmentally friendly car technology. Its Prius hybrid, which went on sale in 1997, travels 31 kilometres per litre of fuel, making it possibly the world's most efficient five-seat car in production.

Toyota and Honda are both racing to be the first automakers to put a fuel-cell passenger car on the market by the end of the year, though only a few would be sold, on a lease basis, to government bodies, research institutions and energy companies.

Toyota says it does not expect full commercialisation of fuel-cell cars until 2010 at the earliest.

RENAULT SA, NISSAN MOTOR CO (France, Japan)

Renault's most fuel-efficient car is the Clio 1.5-litre DCi, which can travel 23.8 kilometres on one litre of fuel.

At the Paris show, Renault will display hybrid and pure electric versions of its Kangoo minivan, which will go on sale in October and is produced in relatively small volume.

In 2000, Renault and Nissan launched an 800-million-euro joint fuel-cell programme. Nissan has brought forward its goal of selling fuel-cell cars to 2003 from 2005. Renault says it hopes to industrialise them in 2010.

Nissan lost a lot of face recently when it asked Toyota to supply it with hybrid systems for at least 10 years for an undisclosed fee. DAIMLERCHRYSLER AG (Germany, U.S.)

Its most fuel-efficient car is the Smart CDI, which travels 29.4 kilometres on a litre of fuel.

The company estimates it will have spent $1 billion in the 14 years to 2004 on developing fuel-cell technology. It has produced five "Necars" (New Electric Cars) since 1994 using various fuel-cell technologies.

Its Chrysler arm has developed a "Natrium" fuel-cell car which stores hydrogen as sodium borohydride, a non-toxic solution similar to soap.

The company will produce a limited number of fuel-cell buses from next year and wants to be selling cars using the technology from 2004 but company officials say they expect the traditional internal combustion engine to be with us for another 30 years.

VOLKSWAGEN AG (Germany)