The Frankfurt Motor Show 2009 turned out to be a trade fair of environmentally friendly cars and the fuel-saving concepts. The sportscar also made their presence felt with a definite inclination toward clean transportation. Here, after the jump, we present a list of the best eco-friendly cars and concepts showcased at the world’s biggest auto show:
Audi R8 e-Tron Concept Car
Having four motors driving the front and rear axles, the electric car produces 313hp and 319 lb-ft of torque accelerating to 0-62 in 4.8 seconds. It does 154 miles efficiently on a fully charged lithium-ion battery. The concept shows a marked difference in the front grill, wheels and the rear end, plus it gets all-LED headlights. Interiors are centered towards the driver, and there are two screens, one to hold the navigation while the other works with the rear view camera.
Volkswagen L1 Concept
The most fuel-efficient car in the world is aerodynamic with coefficient of drag at just 0.195. It gets an astonishing fuel efficiency of 170 mpg. The high fuel efficiency is attributable to a TDI engine, an electric motor and a seven speed DSG. The car is a tandem 1+1 seater and can reach a top speed of 160 kmph. CO2 emissions from the L1 are at just 36 g/km and it weighs just 380 kgs (838 lbs). “ECO Mode” helps the engine generate maximum power of 27PS. Sport Mode allows power output increase to 39 PS.
Volkswagen E-Up
E-Up! has a 500 pounds, 18 kWh battery pack that delivers 80 miles of range from a single charge Top speed is less than 85 miles per hour, with a 0-60 mph pace of about 11 seconds. The folding logo has a hidden port for charging its batteries. The 10.5-foot minicar can easily accommodate four people. Moreover, it has a touch-screen interface to monitor battery state of charge, traffic data, and available charging stations.
Peugeot’s BB1 concept-car
The BB1 concept-car is a 2.5 m solar/electric vehicle, which aims to slither along the urban traffic conditions with a 3.5m turning circle. It comes equipped with two lithium-ion battery packs located under the right and left-hand rear seats. These supply sufficient energy to the respective electric motors to keep them going for full 75 miles. Each motor produces a maximum power output of 15 kW (20hp) – or 7.5 kW. Moreover, it has the roof-mounted solar panels touting a high yield of around 16% of energy captured. The entire body is made from a very light carbon fiber structure.
It can accelerate from 0 to 19 mph in 2.8 seconds and has excellent in-gear acceleration (19 – 37 mph in 4 seconds). Other bonus features include full LED front headlights, rear view cameras, double-bubble roof, the USB 12V power socket for telephone, navigation, internet access, radio, MP3, electric power steering, suspension (double-wishbone front and rear suspension) and friction damper spring assemblies.
All-electric Trabant nT
Two German companies have stepped forward to find investors to bring all electric Trabant nT on the road by 2012. The car is equipped with a 45KW asynchronous motor powered by a lithium-ion battery pack. The car touts a top range of 100 miles and a speed of 80mph. An overnight recharge won’t cost you more than 1€.
Renault Twizy Z. E. car
The Renault’s Twizy Z.E. city car is an electric alternative to the scooter. It generates power from a 20 horsepower (15kW) electric motor, supported by lithium-ion batteries. The Twizy does 100 miles on a single charge at a top speed of 47mph. Twizy just measures 7.5 feet in length, 3.7 feet in width and has a compact turning circle of just 3.0m that takes very little space for parking.
BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept
While ensuring extremely low fuel consumption, the 2+2 diesel/electric hybrid comes with a 1.5 liter, three-cylinder turbo diesel engine. Moreover, the battery comes equipped with 98 lithium polymer cells to convert mechanical energy to electrical energy via a 2-stage, single-speed reduction gearbox.
Hyundai ix-Metro concept car
Hyundai ix-Metro concept car has a BMW-esque compact touting unshakable banana sills and a hexagonal frame. You might see it hitting the production lines within two years with a different label, maybe, ix-15 or ix-25.