IAA Frankfurt Motor Show: what to look out for

In this article: Europe’s largest motor show kicks off this week, and electrification is the buzz word of the event; here are the three vehicles to look out for

Honda plugs into all-electric with Honda e city car

Honda is making its first foray into the world of battery electric vehicles with the unveiling of the production ready Honda e. The city car has already received a considerable amount of acclaim since the concept reveal, but now the pressure is on to deliver on the promises. The signs are encouraging though.

External lines are accentuated by the Side Camera Mirror System that replaces conventional side view mirrors with compact cameras, providing live images to two six-inch screens inside the vehicle.

Inside, a next-generation five screen full-width digital dashboard and connected infotainment system are incorporated. The largest area of the Honda e’s full-width digital dashboard is occupied by dual 12.3-inch LCD touchscreens. These act as the primary infotainment displays, presenting a range of applications and connected infotainment services.

Under the bonnet The Honda e is equipped with an electric motor available with two power outputs of 100kW or 113kW, and torque of 315Nm. The 35.5kWh delivers a range of up to 220km from a single charge, while the fast-charging capability allows recharge to 80% capacity in 30 minutes.

Lamborghini ramps up performance with hybrid Sián

No motor show is complete without the covers coming off a hypercar. This year Lamborghini is doing the honours, but it’s including a twist. The Sián uses hybrid technology to boost performance in its V12-based powertrain.

A 48V motor has been integrated into the gearbox to provide immediate response and improve performance, and support low-speed manoeuvres such as reversing and parking with electric power.
 
But rather than a lithium-ion battery the Sián uses supercapacitor. It’s three times more powerful than a battery of the same weight and three times lighter than a battery producing the same power.
 
Combined with the V12 engine, which incorporates titanium intake valves and is uprated to 577kW at 8,500rpm, the latest vehicle from Lamborghini, combined with the hybrid system, delivers a total of 602kW.

Mercedes-Benz plugs into the benefits of PHEVs

The luxury that Mercedes brings to the market hasn’t always been matched by the efficiency that consumers and governments demand, but with the introduction of the Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 de 4MATIC, the firm is bringing its A-game.

The SUV uses plug-in hybrid technology to give the vehicle a zero-emission range of over 60 miles on a single charge, thanks to the integration of a 31.2kWh battery. It’s a big pack, but not only does it provide a useable EV range, but top speed isn’t overly compromised when using it either, with the vehicle still able to reach 100mph under electric only power.

With any electric vehicle, whether PHEV or battery electric, recharge times are as important as any other metric. To this end the Mercedes GLE SUV has a combined charging socket for alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) charging. It is located in the left side wall, symmetrical with the fuel flap on the right side of the vehicle. At corresponding DC charging stations, the battery can be charged in approx. 20 minutes (10%-80% state of charge (SoC)) or in approximately 30 minutes (10-100 percent SoC).