With General Motors’ (GM) Volt plug-in hybrid car set for a late 2010 debut, Japan’s automakers are wasting no time ramping up production of attractive, cleaner, and more fuel-efficient autos.

In the next couple of years, Toyota (TM), Honda (HMC), Nissan (NSANY), and other rivals will bring to market a host of new models, including conventional hybrids, plug-ins, clean diesels, and electric vehicles. Fuel-cell vehicles may be further off, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be out of the headlines. This month, Honda began small-scale production of its innovative (but expensive) FCX Clarity, to much acclaim.

Picking a winner is nearly impossible today, but with oil touching $140 a barrel, expect more new environmentally friendly autos–not to mention more hype–to be added to lineups in the months ahead.