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The production of passenger vehicles around the world reached an all-time high this year: 80 million new cars and light trucks, according to a study by the Worldwatch Institute in Washington. The new production record is heightening concerns among environmentalists, since petroleum-fueled automobiles are a major source of air pollution and climate-changing carbon emissions. With the new cars and light trucks added to the global fleet, the world is nearing a milestone - one billion vehicles on the roads. Most are petroleum-fueled internal combustion engines, whose emissions cause environmental problems like air pollution and contribute to global warming. Michael Renner of the Worldwatch Institute, wrote the analysis of worldwide auto production. The strongest producer by far right now is China, which had a tremendous period of growth over the last decade and have overtaken Germany, Japan and the US, which used to be the three big producers worldwide," Renner said. Hybrid and electric vehicles represent less than two percent of the total output, the study says. But representatives of the auto industry say they care about the environment. Steven Brooks, an analyst at Edmunds.com, which compiles data on the automobile market, says the industry is responding to the desire for greener products. “There are 43 different vehicles that are going to get introduced into the shopping arena by the end of 2015, like this Honda CR-Z here. This is a hybrid electric vehicle,” Brooks said. | 
