This year's International Auto Show in Detroit features the usual lineup of awe-inspiring luxury cars and SUVs, but some "greener" offerings are generating plenty of attention too.

Reporting from Detroit, CTV's David Akin says that everybody at the show is talking about alternative propulsion systems, whether it's the amazing popularity of election-gas hybrid vehicles or plans for even-greener hydrogen fuelled vehicles.

Earlier this week, automotive journalists at the show named the Ford Escape SUV its Truck of the Year -- marking the second consecutive year that a mass-produced hybrid vehicle won the award.

Last year, Toyota's Prius was named Car of the Year. Both vehicles can switch between a gasoline or diesel engine to an electric motor at slower speeds, to boost fuel efficiency.

Akin says it's clear to most at the show that the hybrid market is growing fast.

"It's still a very small part of the North America market but talk to Toyota for instance in Canada and they will tell you that if you wanted to buy a Prius, you might have to wait for several weeks or a few months. They can't make enough of them right now."

"Most manufacturers are getting on board with the hybrid-electric thing. It just depends when they will get into the market. Ford will have new versions of its Escape hybrid. Toyota of course has the Prius. They will next introduce their luxury SUV, Lexus 330.

"So, every manufacturer has something in this particular market segment."

Manufacturers are also pursuing the field of hydrogen fuel cells. GM is highlighting their Sequel concept car that runs on hydrogen and emits only water.

"The hydrogen fuel cell vehicle represents our industry's moon shot," said GM CEO Rick Wagoner.

Larry Burns, GM's vice president of research and development, said the company's goal is to develop by 2010 a fuel cell system that's affordable and comparable to current engine.

"We believe Sequel is the kind of automobile people will be willing to buy in high volume," Burns said.

But even if they can make hydrogen-fuelled cars cheap, there are still other hurdles to cross, says Akin.

"Once you get beyond figuring out how to make hydrogen fuel cell technology, there's a need for an entire infrastructure for refueling stations, repair depots -- the whole infrastructure that we've built up over the years with the combustion engine. "

"GM's Wagner had a quote when he introduced this thing: he said the hydrogen fuel cell for this industry is their moon shot. So that gives you kind of a sense of the resources and the scale it has to go into this. "

"But they see a huge market for this perhaps in 10 or 15 years."