The Frankfurt Motor Show has to be one of the biggest events in the motoring calendar, featuring game-changing cars that reflect the future of the automotive industry and where it currently stands. Being revealed this year are a mix of electric/hybrid and regular combustion engine vehicles. But we all know where the real excitement is. Petrol-heads, the electric future has now arrived. Featuring at the Frankfurt Motor Show are some of the most innovative electric and hybrid vehicle concept cars as well those that are being released as soon as 2020.
Volkswagen ID.3
Headlining the Frankfurt Motor Show is the long awaited all-electric Volkswagen ID.3. The ID.3 is part of Volkswagen’s ID range which is an innovative pure electric and partly autonomous vehicle range. Whether you’re looking for a family friendly car, a hatchback, a saloon or something sporty, in traditional VW style, you’ll find the perfect trendy vehicle for your needs with the ID range. Volkswagen believe that the ID.3 could become as iconic as the VW Beetle. The ID.3 comes with a choice of three battery sizes. It will be launched with the 1st edition specification which features a 201bhp electric motor and 58kWh battery pack. This edition provides a range of between 186-261 miles. There will be another version with a 45kWh battery and a 148bhp motor. Or you can opt for the top of the range which has a 77kWh battery and a 201bhp motor. The ID.3 is modern throughout, with ultra-clean, crisp and high-tech interior. This is one to watch out for! You can already start reserving yours.
Honda E
Making its way on to our roads soon is the retro, stylish and fun, Honda E. With its quirky round headlights and boxy frame, the Honda E could be the new fun electric vehicle for city dwellers. It contains a 33.5-kilowatt hour battery feeding into a single motor. It has rear wheel drive and two power outfits – 134bhp and 152bhp. Its 50:50 weight distribution and 232-pound feet of torque, makes it agile and swift on the road. Plus, it has fast charging capabilities and can be charged up to 80% in just 30 minutes. The interior is slick and cutting edge with a full width digital dashboard consisting of two 12.3-inch screens. The screens display the infotainment and all the essential information for drivers and passengers. Its AI system lets you use voice command by simply saying OK Honda. This quirky Honda is a much cheaper alternative to many of the expensive electric cars on the market today, and could be the go-to electric car for those looking for something cheap but high quality to dash around the city in.
BMW Vision M Next
BMW has revealed its concept Vision M Next hybrid sports car at the Frankfurt Motor Show among other new BMW cars, such as the BMW i Hydrogen Next and third generation X6 SUV coupe. The BMW Vision M Next could be the replacement for the BMW i8. It has 582bhp compared to 369bhp in the i8, and can go from 0-62 in just three seconds, with a top speed of 186mph. Driving the stunning Vision M Next is a supercharged four-cylinder turbo engine. What makes this hybrid supercar stand out is that it focuses on two concepts – ease and boost. You’ll get an autonomous self-driving mode as well as a more hands on manual driving experience. Appearance wise, the Vision M Next has a similar design to the BMW i8, but with more sharp edges, slightly wide and squatted and with stacked front lights.
Hyundai Electric racer 45
Hyundai has also teased its electric racer 45 concept car which is the centre of Hyundai’s electric vehicles campaign – Style Set Free. The concept of Style Set Free looks beyond standard vehicles and their purpose. It looks at creating customisable cabins where customers can enjoy, what Hyundai call, “living spaces on wheels” with its self-driving technology. The design of the 45 is a retro hot hatch racer car, similar to the Honda e. The concept 45 is inspired by Hyundai’s first model in the 1970’s and has a quirky rear LED light bar as its taillights.
Lamborghini Sian hybrid supercar
The Lamborghini Sian is a tribute to ex-Volkswagen group boss, Ferdinand Karl Piech who passed away recently. What makes this car game-changing is that it’s Lamborghini’s first supercapacitor-based hybrid V12 which is coupled with an electric boost to create a hybrid car. The gearbox has a 48v electric motor – first of its kind -which improves performance during gear shifting and acceleration. The Sian gives out 774bhp and its 48v electric motor – which produces 34bhp – gives the Sian a combined output of 808bhp. This makes the Sian Lamborghini’s most powerful and fastest accelerating car. This is just the beginning for Lamborghini’s hybrid cars. It is yet set to release the next generation Aventador.
Mercedes Benz ESF
The ESF concept car is Mercedes-Benz’s Experimental Safety vehicle and is currently based on the design and build of the GLE SUV plug-in hybrid. The ESF gives us an insight into the safety technology Mercedes is working on. Safety is at the core of all Mercedes concepts. Some of the concepts include cooperative communication with the surroundings which will be an extremely important factor in autonomous driving. Other safety features are based on child safety, securing traffic hazards, safety and comfort of rear passengers and all-round driver safety. At the Frankfurt Motor Show, Mercedes have debuted its pre-safe Curve. This is a system which tightens your seatbelt if it thinks your over speeding. Additionally, some of its features have a slight sci-fi element. Such as the robots which are released from the car onto the roadside with triangle warning signs. Cool, but not sure how practical that would be?
Porsche Taycan electric car
The Porsche Taycan is Porsche’s first fully battery electric four-door coupe. It promises sensational performance, and the interior is luxurious – as expected. The Taycan will be hitting the UK roads in January 2020. Porsche has incorporated permanent synchronous motors (PSM) rather than heavier and cheaper asynchronous motors (ASM). This helps the Taycan with its high performance. The two electric motors produce a combined 616bhp and can go from 0-62mph within just 3.2 seconds. With a 90kWh battery, low centre of gravity, and a 49:51 weight distribution, the Taycan’s throttle response is five times quicker than a combustion engine car. The torque vectoring and traction control are all faster than other Porsche cars. Although the Taycan has a unique suspension setup similar to the Panamera’s, its three-chamber air suspension – which lets the car drop 22mm at speed – makes it more efficient.
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