A whole lot of green hits Paris

The Paris Motor Show, held every other year at the Paris Expo in Porte de Versailles, had a lot more green offerings on show than two years ago, with several concept models edging towards production

Hybrids, EVs and even hydrogen models from many of the world’s leading manufacturers featured heavily at the Paris Motor Show, signalling that green isn’t going anywhere despite global financial concerns.

While no one expects the average fleet to shell out the 416,500-euro asking price for the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupe Electric Drive, there was some more encouragiong news about the cost of EV ownership from Renault, as they announced they will take the first order for the new ZOE at the end of the Paris event.

Renault is already marketing three EV’s - the Fluence ZE, Kangoo ZE and Twizy. The long awaited arrival of the ZOE happened at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show earlier this year, but ZOE went public show for the first time in Paris.

As spearhead of Renault’s Z.E. range, ZOE is a compact hatchback designed from the ground up exclusively as an electric vehicle. Renault estimates that in suburban use, the Zoe can achieve around 62 miles in cold weather and 93 in temperate conditions. It features “Caméléon” charger that allows the car to be charged at any level of power, taking between 30 minutes and nine hours. Although the battery pack is subject to approximate £70 per month lease fee, the Zoe will cost just £13,650 when it arrives in the autumn, a considerable price improvement on the Nissan LEAF.

Nissan TeRRA Concept
The TeRRA was a showcase for Nissan’s fuel-cell technology at the Paris motor show. The machine is powered by three electric motors driving all four wheels and receiving their power from Nissan’s latest hydrogen-powered fuel cell. Nissan says this unit costs just one sixth of its predecessor. Nissan claims a range of 350 miles using the combined drivelines.

TeRRA introduces new surfacing materials and removable, portable technology for the driver display and infotainment systems. The dashboard is actually a removable tablet that serves as an ‘intelligent key’. The driver docks it when entering the car and removes it when leaving. When docked, the tablet’s default view displays speed and other key performance indicators, but the driver can toggle to entertainment, communications, navigation and other views.

“We took our inspiration from the lifestyles of youthful customers in Northern Europe,” said Shiro Nakamura, Nissan senior vice president and chief creative officer. “We heard their aspiration for sustainable mobility that can take them anywhere they want to go.”

“Exploring our imagination of that natural space with the exterior, we have redefined the power of the SUV heritage in a much more athletic way, one that expresses our vision of the zero emissions future,” Nakamura said.

Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell
The Hyundai ix35 is a reality - it’s going into production relatively soon. The electric motor receives energy from the hydrogen fuel cell which, like the TeRRA, only emits pure water. The ix35 complete 0-62mph in 12.5 seconds and has a range of 365 miles.

“Hyundai is committed to being the industry leader in eco-friendly mobility,” Tony Whitehorn, Hyundai’s chief executive. “We have previously given ix35 Fuel Cell vehicles to the European Parliament to use for test-drives, and we have also taken part in numerous zero-emission events and tests across the continent, proving their practicality, safety and usability.”

The company has said it will produce at least 1,000 examples of the car for delivery to public and private fleets between 2013 and 2015, after which the vehicle will enter full production status with a minimum production run of 10,000 units. No pricing has yet been disclosed.

BMW Active Tourer Concept
The Active Tourer concept made its public debut at the 2012 Paris motor show. It has a semi-MPV body style and features a plug-in petrol hybrid drivetrain capable of taking it almost twenty miles in electric-only mode. The electric motor is paired with a new 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine, which drives the front wheels, while the rear wheels are driven by the electric motor. The company says this set-up is based on the powertrain that will be seen in the much sportier i8.

The combination of electric and petrol power produces a total power output of 190 PS, a top speed of 124mph and a 0-100km/h (62 mph) acceleration time of less than eight seconds. BMW claims 113mpg and sub-60g/km CO2 emissions.

Although this plug-in hybrid system will be available for production models there’ll also be front-wheel-drive versions that use conventional petrol or diesel powertrains.

Mercedes-Benz SLS
AMG Electric Drive
Planned for launch next June, the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Electric Drive features four electric motors, one for each wheel, delivering a combined massive 750 horsepower - nearly 200 more than the petrol powered version. It can do 0-60 in 3.9 seconds, has top speed of 155mph and a range of 155 miles. With a custom charger, the 60kWh of lithium-ion batteries strewn throughout the car can be fully replenished in just three hours.

The high-voltage battery for the SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive is the result of cooperation between Mercedes-AMG and Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains in Brixworth (GB). This is an area in which the British Formula 1 experts were able to contribute their extensive know-how with KERS hybrid concepts.

“The SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive is setting new standards for cars with electric drives. As the most powerful gullwing model ever, it is also representative of the enduring innovational strength of Mercedes-AMG. Our vision of the most dynamic electric vehicle has become a reality. With the help of our colleagues at Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains in Brixworth, we are bringing exciting advanced technology from the world of Formula 1 to the road”, according to Ola Källenius, chairman of the board of management of Mercedes-AMG GmbH.

Citroen DS3 Electrum concept
At this year’s Paris Motor Show, Citroen showed off an electric concept based on the DS3, which it refers to as the ‘plugged-in’ city car.

The DS3 Electrum has an estimated range of up to 75 miles (120 km) and Citroen says that despite being electric, the car is as fun to drive as a normal DS3. Two 65kW motors located on the front axle produce a total of 176hp, powered by a Panasonic 17.5kWh lithium-ion battery which can be charged up to 80 percent in 30 minutes for a rapid charger.

According to Citroen, the electric drivetrain has been designed to keep cabin and boot space intact and it can be used to ‘electrify’ a variety of existing internal-combustion vehicles.

Smart ForStars concept
Referred to as a ‘Sports Utility Coupe’ the Smart ForStars concept moves along with an 80 horsepower electric motor and 17.6 kWh battery, boasting 127 lb/ft of torque and an 80mph top speed. It has a 603mm longer wheelbase than the current Smart ForTwo and a wider track – 90mm at the front and 193mm at the rear, liberating extra boot space. Its all-glass roof which allows for a spot of stargazing.

Interestingly, the concept car also houses a home cinema projector in the front bumper. A surround speaker system, with some hidden loudspeakers sitting in the ventilation openings behind the doors, provides a mobile movie theatre experience. According to smart boss Dr Annette Winkler: “With its powerful battery and integrated projector the smart forstars can transform any grey backyard into an animated open-air cinema.”

Audi Crosslane Coupe concept
The 2012 Paris Motor Show Audi provided a glimpse of the design language of Audi’s future Q models through its Audi crosslane coupé concept car. It is an evolutionary stage of Audi ultra, its lightweight construction principle.

The plug-in hybrid drive, described as a dual-mode hybrid, comprises a purpose-developed three-cylinder TFSI 1.5 litre engine, two electric motors and a single-stage transmission. Power is 177 hp, managing from 0 to 100 km/h in 8.6 seconds (9.8 seconds in pure elecrtic mode). The lithium-ion battery has an output of 17.4 kWh, sufficient for an operating range of around 86 km in the electric mode.

The dual-mode hybrid concept enables different operating modes. Drivers can choose between the ‘cruise’ and ‘race’ settings, the cruise mode prioritising electric driving. The electric mode mainly used up to 130 km/h, above which the three-cylinder engine becomes the main drive source.

VW Golf MkVII
The VW Golf entered its seventh generation at the 2012 Paris Motor show. The new car is the first VW vehicle to be based on the Group’s new MQB platform, which already underpins the latest Audi A3. This features an extensive use of strong, lightweight steels which manage to shave off over 100kg of weight compared to previous Golf.

The BlueMotion variant of the MkVII Golf will be capable of 88mpg and emit just 85g/km of CO2. Production models are expected to go on sale in early 2013, with similar efficiency figures.