If the latest offerings from global automotive manufacturers are anything to go by, the theme at this year's Frankfurt Motor Show was 'green'.
The world's biggest carmakers exhibited various hybrid and electric offerings at the biennial event, indicating that the industry's green technology drive may be gaining momentum.
The environmentally-friendly theme was even supported by German car companies, which, until now, have not shown much support for this technology, according to the Financial Mail. From costly sports cars to humble hatchbacks, the eco-friendly models from BMW and Mercedes-Benz, as well as the Volkswagen Group, which includes Audi and Porsche, indicate that German auto bigwigs are finally buying into the plug-in concept.
At the lower end of the spectrum, BMW's i3 is the brand's first-ever fully electric model with a driving range up to 300km. Volkswagen also showcased fully electric models - the e-Up! and the e-Golf. Both models have a range of just under 200km and are expected to go on sale in Europe in the coming months. According to VW CE Martin Winterkorn, VW's foray into the electric car market forms part of the company's broader plans to boost its electrified line-up with as many as 40 vehicles.
For the slightly less spendthrift, the BMW i8 is a plug-in hybrid sports car, which promises turbocharged performance and low fuel consumption, while the Mercedes-Benz S500 Plug-In Hybrid boasts a 3.0-litre, V6 petrol engine running in parallel with an electric motor and lithium-ion battery pack.
And with a price tag of a little over R8.5 million, the Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid got motor show attendees talking, according to The Telegraph. The fuel-efficient, high-powered spots car is fitted with a kinetic energy recovery system (KERS), which is used in hybrid vehicles to boost their performance, with no impact on the vehicle's fuel consumption.
"It is amazing that we are now seeing hybrid Porsches with better efficiency than many small and medium-sized cars," says Edmund King, president of the Automobile Association, referring to the 918 Spyder hybrid.
"I welcome Germany joining the club," says Renault and Nissan CE Carlos Ghosn. In July, Renault and Nissan announced that they had sold 100 000 electric vehicles, which is more than all other carmakers combined. The French and Japanese auto manufacturers also confirmed that the Nissan Leaf, a 100% electric, five-door hatchback, had exceeded 71 000 in global sales.
According to Ghosn, this electric/hybrid trend is helping to drive the tipping point. "The more companies that buy into electric, the better," he says.
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