Revival of the electric car: against industry’s gloomy forecast, hybrid & electric cars light up Paris Auto Show

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Against a backdrop of generally gloomy sales forecasts and belt-tightening, a chorus of optimism rose from automakers at the Paris show as the technical hurdles of hybrids, plug-ins and electric vehicle development -- primarily involving the cost and capacity of advanced-chemistry batteries -- are gradually being overcome. "Two years ago nobody said an electric vehicle was even possible," said Pitt Moos, marketing manager for Smart USA. "Today everybody is saying, 'We're going to make one.' "

At the show, Smart -- the maker of those tiny two-seat city cars -- announced plans to build all-electric vehicles for Europe by the end of the decade. But it hasn't said what its intentions are for the U.S. market. "The challenge has always been the battery," Moos said. Compact, energy-dense lithium chemistry batteries for automotive applications are expensive and can be hazardous. "We have just in the past couple of months become comfortable about a method of making lithium batteries for cars," Moos said. "Now some people are starting to quote Obama: Yes, we can."

Peugeot dipped into diesel-electric waters with its Prologue crossover, which will go into production next year. Peugeot and Citroen, siblings under PSA Group, will share a hybrid system called Hymotion4, which involves an efficient diesel engine powering the front wheels and an electric motor/lithium battery driving the rear wheels. The car's hybrid drivetrain uses a 70 kilowatt electric motor up front and a 1.6-liter gas engine in the rear, with a combined total of 313 horsepower. The car can be driven electric-only, gas-only, or with gas and electric power. Peugeot claims 52 mpg and only 109 grams of CO2 per kilometer.

Among smaller cars, Nissan revealed its quirky bubble-shaped NuVu concept, a proposal for an electric city car circa 2015. Nissan takes it as a given that future city cars will be electric. The Nuvu demonstrates a small, agile car with unique interior space. The car is about 9 feet long and uses 2+1 seating--there is only one seat on the driver side, and a front and rear seat on the passenger side. The Nuvu also has solar panels to help charge the batteries. Nissan says many of the concept car's electric powertrain components will power the company's new, still-mysterious dedicated electric vehicle, expected in 2010. Mitsubishi, meanwhile, talked up its i-MiEV electric cars with lithium batteries and about 100-mile range.

Both Mercedes-Benz and BMW unveiled full-size luxury hybrid production models with lithium batteries: the S400 BlueHybrid and the 7-Series hybrid, respectively. Mercedes-Benz Chairman Dieter Zetsche said the S400 -- powered by a 275-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 and a 15-kilowatt electric motor and a lithium-battery pack -- will be the world's most economical luxury car with a gasoline engine. The car will be able to accelerate from zero to 62 mph in 7.2 seconds and get about 29 miles per gallon. "This is just the beginning," Zetsche said. "With this technology, we can hybridize all of our models in rapid succession. This car proves Mercedes will be able to downsize its emissions without downsizing its products."

Among the French domestic carmakers: Renault unveiled its Ondelious concept, a large SUV crossover that combines a diesel combustion engine with electric motors (situated in the wheel hubs) powered by a single 4-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery.

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Photos courtesy of CBS Interactive, Jerry Garrett / New York Times, Antoine Antoniol / Bloomberg News, and Telegraph, UK

Original Source: Los Angeles Times and Concept cars at the 2008 Paris Motor Show (with image gallery)

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