Frankfurt Motor Show
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Along with the gleaming concept cars and new production models unveiled at last week's Frankfurt auto show, auto-company executives also make news. Often a company's CEO or product chief will announce directions for the future, whether they're hints about upcoming vehicles or new powertrain plans. Matthias Müller, chairman of the VW Group, did just that in announcing what the giant carmaker calls its "Roadmap E" for electric cars. DON'T MISS: Do Frankfurt's electric cars cover German desperation over diesel decline? Volkswagen, of course, has been hammered for two years by its...
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Porsche Mission E electric sport sedan: 200-mile recharge in 15 minutes
While there have been lots of concept cars and production announcements, the first serious German competitor to the Tesla Model S and Model X won't arrive for at least another year. And what could prove the most potent of them all—the production version of the stunning Porsche Mission E...
John Voelcker -
Honda CR-V Hybrid displayed in Frankfurt; US likely next, but when?
Five months ago, Honda showed a hybrid version of its CR-V compact crossover utility vehicle at the Shanghai auto show. Now, a European version of the Honda CR-V Hybrid is being shown at this week's Frankfurt auto show. Having teased it twice around the world, will the hybrid crossover come to...
John Voelcker -
Audi's self-driving e-tron electric concepts: Aicon (Level 5) and Elaine (Level 4) at Frankfurt
The 2017 Frankfurt Motor Showed offered a very specific ethos this year: electric and self-driving cars. Many automakers used the bright lights and gleaming stands to reveal their interpretation of a future with all-electric and driverless vehicles. Audi was not absent from the theme. DON'T MISS...
Sean Szymkowski -
Do Frankfurt's electric cars cover German desperation over diesel decline?
This year's Frankfurt motor show was big, busy, and full of new concepts and production cars spanning the gamut from small electric cars to exotic supercars with prices in the millions. Every German maker showed one or more electric or electrified concepts, and renewed talk of driving on...
John Voelcker -
Honda Urban EV Concept to go on sale in 2019, but not for North America
If there were a favorite car among journalists and car fans at this week's Frankfurt motor show, it may have been a small, all-electric hatchback city car. Which is pretty remarkable, given the practical, unexciting, utilitarian, slightly nerdy image every non-Tesla electric car seems to carry...
John Voelcker -
We've known since last July that an all-electric Mini Cooper will go into production in 2019. Now, we can see the first renderings of the car that will make its official debut at the Frankfurt auto show in two weeks. The Mini Electric Concept is recognizable as the three-door hardtop version of the famous British small car, but numerous design features set it apart from its counterparts with gasoline engines. DON'T MISS: All-electric Mini E for 2019 to appear at Frankfurt show in concept form Some of those elements tie back to the original fleet of 600 Mini E electric test cars, introduced in...
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Formula E races to add Jaguar I-Pace electric-car race series
Media days at this week's Frankfurt motor show seemed to be all about electric cars and concepts, from mass-market brands like Volkswagen to luxury makers like Mercedes. Jaguar Land Rover, however, was able to get its own share of press by announcing that its upcoming electric car would go racing...
John Voelcker -
Mercedes-Benz GLC F-Cell EQ Power plug-in hydrogen crossover launches at Frankfurt
It's a plug-in hybrid crossover, but it doesn't have an engine. It's a hydrogen fuel-cell SUV, but it has a feature no other hydrogen-powered car offers. It's the Mercedes-Benz GLC F-Cell EQ Power, launched Tuesday at the Frankfurt motor show. DON'T MISS: Mercedes-Benz GLC to offer world's first...
John Voelcker -
BMW i Vision Dynamics Concept previews all-electric four-door sedan
If concept cars are meant to grab attention, then the BMW i Vision Dynamics Concept—an all-electric sedan that debuted Tuesday at the Frankfurt motor show—may have fulfilled its mission. With the huge, vertical twin-kidney BMW grille also seen on the BMW X7 SUV concept, the smaller...
John Voelcker -
Mercedes-Benz Concept EQA small electric hatchback debuts in Frankfurt
Following various teaser images, the Mercedes-Benz EQA concept for a compact all-electric hatchback made its debut on Tuesday at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show. It's a preview of what will become a volume production car around 2020, competing against numerous 200-mile hatchbacks of the same size...
John Voelcker -
Green car concepts, production models at Frankfurt auto show
Although a handful of automakers have opted to skip the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show, there are still plenty of new green concept cars and production models confirmed to make their debut. Leading up to the media days of the 2017 Frankfurt show, we will continue to update this running list of what is...
Sean Szymkowski -
The first Mini E, cobbled together by putting a battery pack where the rear seat used to be, was BMW's very first attempt at building a modern electric car. Only a few hundred were built, back in 2009, but the quick project gave the German company real-world experience on how electric-car drivers used their cars, recharged them, and otherwise treated them. Last fall, BMW's CEO confirmed that an all-electric Mini would return to the British maker's lineup; now, it's rumored to debut in concept form next month at the Frankfurt auto show. DON'T MISS: Electric Mini officially confirmed by BMW...
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Mercedes-Benz Concept IAA Changes Shape For Better Efficiency
The Mercedes-Benz Concept IAA changes shape at certain speeds to lower drag.
Stephen Edelstein -
Germans Vs Tesla In High-End Electric Cars: Will Fast Charging Follow In Time?
Arguably the most stunning car at this week's Frankfurt Motor Show was the Porsche Mission E, a low, sleek all-electric sport sedan that is likely to go into production within three or four years. It stole much of the limelight from the other all-electric debut, the Audi e-tron Quattro Concept, a...
John Voelcker -
Nissan Gripz Concept Previews 'Pure Drive' Hybrid System
The Nissan Gripz concept is meant to combine elements of sports cars and crossovers.
Stephen Edelstein -
2017 Smart ForTwo Cabrio: Soft-Top Minicar Returns To Range Next Year
The 2017 Smart ForTwo Cabrio debuted at the 2015 Frankfurt Auto Show.
Stephen Edelstein -
2016 Nissan Leaf Range: 107 Or 155 Miles? Why Test Cycles Can Be Deceptive
Suppose you could buy a new 2016 Nissan Leaf rated not at 107 miles but 155 miles. That would be a far more desirable car, wouldn't it? Well, you can--but only in Europe. The punchline is that the two cars are identical. What differs is the rating procedure used to calculate the range of an...
John Voelcker -
With sales of small crossover utility vehicles growing, not just in North America but around the world, two of the world's three largest automakers still don't have entries in the segment. One of them, Toyota, announced today at the Frankfurt Motor Show that it had plans to change that. It displayed a second version of its C-HR concept car, and confirmed it as a vehicle that would be sold very soon, with the final production version to be displayed at next spring's Geneva Motor Show. DON'T MISS: 2017 Toyota Subcompact Crossover Spy Shots The news came in a presentation by Karl Schlicht...
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Infiniti Q30 Luxury Compact Hatchback: Frankfurt Auto Show Unveiling
The Infiniti Q30 goes on sale in the U.S. next year.
Stephen Edelstein -
Audi e-Tron Quattro Concept: 2018 Electric Car Previewed At Frankfurt Motor Show
It's been teased and previewed and discussed and debated, and now the concept is real: The Audi e-Tron Quattro Concept debuted at today's Frankfurt Motor Show. A styling concept that is thought to reach production as the Audi Q6 , a more coupe-like crossover utility vehicle similar to the BMW X6...
John Voelcker -
2017 Volkswagen Tiguan: Compact Crossover Revealed At Frankfurt Auto Show
The 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan range debuted at the 2015 Frankfurt Auto Show, including a plug-in hybrid concept.
Stephen Edelstein -
2018 Porsche Mission E: 600-HP Electric Sport Sedan Concept Targets Tesla
Perhaps no German prestige carmaker was more rattled than Porsche by the sudden appearance of electric-car startup Tesla Motors. With the sports-car brand having just launched its first sedan, the Panamera, the arrival of the Tesla Model S in 2012 offered an alternative take on a large luxury...
John Voelcker -
Less Energy-Intensive Heating For Electric Cars Demonstrated At Frankfurt Auto Show
Researchers claim a heating system comprised of a thin film applied to interior panels could help improve the efficiency of electric cars.
Stephen Edelstein