New Technologies Fuel Geneva International Car Show Entries

Traditional automakers will be competing with electric and hybrid technologies at the 81st Geneva International car show this Thursday.

In a media preview on Tuesday, electric concept cars and the first ever diesel-hybrid models were on display.

It seems that automakers were trying to fulfill consumers‘ expectations they had failed to meet last year as they unveiled their world premieres.

Volvo unveiled its hybrid diesel V60 sedan, a plug-in concept car aimed to be on the roads by 2012.

The car can offer an incredible 150 mpg in the hybrid mode using both its 2.4-liter diesel engine and 70 horsepower electric motor coupled to the rear drive. Peugeot’s hybrid diesel the 3008 Hybrid4 Limited is set to become the world’s first production diesel hybrid vehicle with production starting some time this year.

The four-wheel drive 3008 family car offers a potential 74.4 mpg with its 200 horsepower engine.

Christoph Sturmer, a research director at IHS Automotive, said consumers were becoming more realistic about the availability and prices of electric vehicles.

[Christoph Sturmer, Research Director, IHS Automotive]:

„The consumers have been expecting electric vehicles on the roads ever since last year. And they were utterly disappointed that they can’t buy them a year ago and they were equally disappointed that it cost more to buy them at all. So the consumer wants to be painlessly green. He wants the newest stuff and the lowest possible price. And it is this expectation management that is slowly kicking in. It was all euphoria last year.“

Audi also invested in the hybrid vehicles market this year revealing a new Q5 Hybrid Quattro, a crossover four-wheel SUV with a V6, 2 liter gasoline engine.

Nissan unveiled a first electric sports concept car, the Esflow, 100 percent electric with two electric motors powering the back wheels.

The twin motors are powered by the same laminated lithium-ion battery packs used in the Nissan LEAF and allow the car to travel around 150miles on one charge.

And VW presented a new prototype, the fully electric Bulli van that offers driving ranges of up to 186 miles and top speed of 87 mph.

All in all, it looks like hybrids are coming into their own this year.

Foto: NTDTV