Sept. 16, 2013—Midway through the 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show, it’s clear that hybrid- and electric-vehicle technology and designs are a focus among the world’s top auto manufacturers.
The show, which is the largest of its kind in the world and runs through Sept. 22, has already seen a number of manufacturers unveil new and improved hybrid and electric drive trains, signaling the future trend of the industry.
Sparked partly by the new CAFE standards requiring fuel economy to reach 54.4 miles per gallon by 2025 for 90 percent of vehicles sold in the U.S., the technology advances in the hybrid and eclectic vehicles have been the focus of innovation at this year’s event.
The Frankfurt Auto Show tends to focus on higher-end vehicles, like the new BMW i8 hybrid or the plug-in Porsche 918 Spyder, which can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in less than 3 seconds. The Spyder costs $850,000.
Volkswagen, though, featured more accessible options with an electric version of its Golf hatchback, as well as its small city car, the all-electric Up!.
Also unveiled was the fully-electric Spark-Renault SRT 01E with plans to race in the first-ever Formula E competition intended to popularize electric cars.
