Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Hybrid Cars on Display at Paris Motor Show 2010

Hybrid car technology in a variety of combinations and models is currently being displayed at the 2010 Paris Motor Show which began on Saturday and runs til Oct. 17.

While their petrol-driven counterparts still dominate the show, several notable greener designs are being showcased by the some of the big names, with an interesting mix of technologies.

Peugeot-Citroen has its 3008 HYbrid 4 with a 2.0 litre diesel engine supplying 163 hp to the front wheels while the electric motor provides 37 hp to the rear.

The Peugeot crossover is expected to cost around US$10,000 more than the petrol version but product director Vincent Besson believes customers will want the “functionality and fuel efficiency."

"Hybrids have a big future because they're much more versatile than electric cars," he told Bloomberg. Peugeot believes gas-and diesel-electric hybrids will make up 10 percent of all European sales of new cars by 2020.


Meanwhile Nissan-Renault is charging ahead with plans to launch four electric vehicles over the next two years, including a city car, mini-car, and light commercial van. The company says its electric Fluence sedan will cost less to run than its petrol equivalent.

Within the next decade, the company expects rising fuel prices will push up subcompact buyers’ demand for electric cars very significantly.

Toyota has stuck with its gas-electric approach to hybridisation, unveiling the prototype for a small city-car due for release in 2012. Honda's Jazz Hybrid is also on display with plans to sell it in Europe from early 2011.

Other interesting models on show include a Fisker Karma plug-in, Jaguar’s C-X74 with electric motors and gas turbines, and General Motors’ Opel Ampera, a European version of the Chevy Volt.

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