Tuesday 1 March 2011. The Green Piece Column.
The International Geneva Motor Show opens its doors to the Press today (March 1) amid much anticipation and fanfare.
Though the show was first held back in 1905, the emphasis won’t be on walking down memory lane this year – it will be very much on the future, and in particular the green cars that will dominate motoring over the next five- to 10 years. Here we take a look at our top 10 new arrivals:
10: Citroen Metropolis
Geneva won’t mark the first time we’ve seen the Citroen Metropolis Concept but the vehicle is now set to go into production. It was first introduced at the Shanghai Motor Show and is based on the same platform as the C6. It features a plug-in hybrid drivetrain, as well as an optimised two-litre petrol engine and seven-speed, dual clutch electronic gearbox. At low speeds it runs as a zero emission vehicle with the electric motor developing a continuous 55bhp and peaking at 95bhp.
9: Honda EV Concept
Honda will offer a double whammy in Geneva in the form of its new electric vehicle concept and a plug-in hybrid platform. The Honda EV Concept (see article) is said to hint strongly at the direction of Honda’s upcoming Fit EV, which will be introduced in the US and Japan. It has a range of 100miles and there will be three separate driving platforms. Honda will also showcase a matching prototype Honda Charging Stand for electric vehicles.
8: Rinspeed Bamboo
It’s no surprise that the magic minds of Rinspeed would come up with something special for a motor show on their home turf – and the BamBoo certainly fits that mould. It has an electric motor with an output of 54kW and is able to reach a top speed of 120km/h with a low weight of 1,090kg.
The vehicle is seen as the perfect beach-going car – it includes… wait for it… an inflatable roof that doubles as a beach blanket, as well as the BamBoo community platform that allows for practical features based on social networking and sustainability.
7: Mazda Minagi
The Mazda Minagi is expected to preview the forthcoming Mazda CX-5 that will take on other crossovers in the family car sector. However, what really attracts our attention about the Mazda Minagi is that it is the first concept to fully embrace Mazda’s Skyactive green technologies. The technologies include the Sky-G petrol engines and the Sky-D diesel engines that feature sophisticated direct injection and friction reducing technology. The Minagi will also have a Skyactiv-Body that includes a number of weight saving measures.
6: Rolls-Royce Phantom 102EX
Not a name you expect to see on TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk too often, Rolls-Royce has decided to join the electric vehicle race with a brand new concept of its own (see article).
The 102EX is an electric powered Phantom model and will be used to judge reactions to a battery powered Rolls-Royce among the media and owners’ clubs. CEO Torsten Muller-Otvos believes the company has created the world’s fast battery electric vehicle for the ultra luxury segment in what will be the start of the company’s exploration of alternative drivetrains and technologies.
5: Land Rover RANGE_E
Basically a hybrid version of the Range Rover Sport, the Range_E (see article) features the regular 3.0litre diesel V6 as well as a plug-in parallel diesel hybrid system with a 34hp electric motor on a common driveshaft. It can achieve an all-electric range of 20miles. According to Land Rover, it will be the cleanest Range Rover Sport by far thanks to CO2 emissions of 89g/km, and remarkably it will also be the quickest version of the model too.
4: Smart Forspeed
The Forspeed Concept (see article) is a zero emissions roadster that has been designed to complete Smart’s electric vehicle line-up, sliding neatly alongside the Smart Fortwo EV and the electric scooter and bicycle in its range. The Forspeed should reach a top speed of 75mph thanks to a rear-mounted 40bhp electric motor and a 7bhp over-boost function. It has a maximum range of 84miles.
3: Volvo V60 Plug-In Hybrid
Dubbed the world’s first diesel plug-in hybrid, the Volvo V60 plug-in hybrid (see article) will be the company’s second electrified car and should be released to market in 2012. It is being promoted as ‘three cars in one’ because it has three driving modes: electric, hybrid and power, the latter of which uses the electric motor and combustion engine together for a combined 440 + 200Nm of torque and acceleration from 0-62mph in just 6.9 seconds. Its hybrid mode allows for emissions at just 49g/km while the electric mode has a driving range of 32miles.
2: Toyota IQ Electric Vehicle
The electric version of the Toyota iQ (see article) will make its debut in Geneva and is said to represent Toyota’s long term version for short-range, sustainable mobility and hybrid synergy drive. The vehicle uses an all-electric powertrain and a newly developed, flat and compact lithium-ion battery that provides enough charge to give the vehicle a range of 65miles. The vehicle is to be put through its paces this year ahead of a potential market release in 2012.
1: Nissan ESFLOW
A sports car capable of racing from 0-60mph in five seconds and with a range of 150miles on a single charge, the Nissan ESFLOW (see article) is one of the most exciting concepts we’ve ever come across.
The two-seat sports car aims to prove that electric vehicles can be sexy and it certainly gets the job done with the ability to race from 0-62mph in less than five seconds, even weight distribution and sporty handling.
Remember these are just a sample of the new concepts set for Geneva with others including the Mini Rocketman (see article), the Renault Captur (see article) and Peugeot’s range of new hybrids (see article). Keep a regular check on our news section over the next two weeks for all the latest from the event itself.
