Opel says that the RAD e will be the first e-bike to be built around automotive construction and production principles, plus that it carries much of Opel’s typical design language such as the boomerang shaped features associated with the Ampera and the RAK e concept car.

Its pedelec technology, with a 250 watt motor, gives the rider motorized support when pedaling and achieves a range of between 37 and 90 miles (60 and 145 kilometers).

The RAD e is unveiled at a time when e-bikes are widely expected to play a key role in future integrated urban transport, linking e-bikes, cars and buses.

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Highlighting the design and technology direction for Honda’s next generation supercar, the NSX Concept features a V6 mid-mounted engine and will employ a range of new technologies including the innovative Sport Hybrid SH-AWD (Super Handling All Wheel Drive) hybrid system. It is expected to go on sale within the next three years.

Further underlining Honda’s aim of developing sporty, exciting products, the Honda EV-STER will also make its European debut at the show.

The EV-STER, an electric rear wheel drive two-seater open sports car, features dynamic and innovative styling and excellent environmental performance.

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The Infiniti EMERG-E will feature a 1.2 liter internal combustion range-extender together which battery and an electric motor.

By mounting the engine in the middle of the car, Infiniti says the EMERG-E will enjoy a superior weight distribution thanks to its layout.

“The INFINITI EMERG-E will be the first car from the brand to have not only a range-extender drivetrain offering vivid performance with zero emissions capability but also one mounted in a mid-ship package for optimal handling,” Infiniti said in a statement.”

Infiniti EMERG-E will make its worldwide debut at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show in March.

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The dock+Go concept is an eye-catching solution to address the limited range issue of electric car.

Based on a smart fortwo electric drive, the Dock+Go comes with an attachable rear trailer complete with its own set of wheels. It holds an energy pack with a combustion engine/range extender, thus being able to substantially increase driving range.

If a driver is only going to undertake a short journey, then the energy pack can be removed and the car’s standard all-electric range remains. Rinspeed’s creator Frank M Rinderknecht calls this charging range-extending system a ‘vario-hybrid’.

And thus the first Vario-Hybrid, as Frank M. Rinderknecht refers to his range donor, is born. In the garage at home the batteries of the energy pack are recharged with solar power from the roof, making living and driving without any CO2 emissions a reality.

Rinspeed will release the important technical details when the concept debuts at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show.

Infiniti said that the car will use an extended-range powertrain, mating some type of internal-combustion engine with electric power to find the balance between environmental friendliness and driving joy.

In addition, Infiniti says the new concept will look to shape the future designs of the Infiniti brand.

Infiniti will provide regular teasers between now and the Geneva Motor Show next March when Executive Vice President Andy Palmer will present the high performance, low emission vehicle.

The new car, based on the current iQ, is designed to address key issues surrounding the production of all-electric vehicles for emissions-free urban mobility, such as driving range and performance and battery technology.

The compact size of iQ and its innovative design and packaging have already helped it demonstrate its essentially urban-friendly driving character. The introduction an all-electric powertrain, with zero tailpipe emissions, makes it an even stronger proposition, delivering silent driving in a car with room for four on board.

A 47kW permanent magnet synchronous electric motor drivers the front wheels, powered by an 11kWh, 270V lithium-ion battery located beneath the seats. Clever use of a new, flat battery design, occupying space usually taken up by iQ’s flat fuel tank, means there is no impact on the room available for passengers or load-carrying.

The EV prototype will accelerate from 0 to 62mph in 14 seconds, it has a top speed of 78mph and will cover up to 65 miles on a full charge. Two charging sockets are provided at the front of the vehicle for 100/200V AC and quick-charge DC power. They allow a full battery recharge from a 200V supply in four hours, and an 80 per cent charge from a DC quick charge station in about 15 minutes.

Trials of the EV Prototype are set to begin in Europe, the USA and Japan later this year.

This development model is equipped with an advanced plug-in hybrid diesel-electric powertrain that Land Rover expects to make available in future production models, following the scheduled launch of its diesel-electric hybrid in 2013.

Range_e is based on the Range Rover Sport and uses the current 245PS 3.0-liter TDV6 diesel engine, working with an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission and a 69kW electric motor. Using a parallel hybrid system, with a 14.2kW/h lithium-ion battery that can be recharged from an external 240V power source, Range_e can be driven on electric power alone for more than 20 miles (32km), with zero harmful tailpipe emissions.

A full recharge from a standard domestic power supply can be accomplished in around four hours. Typically the majority of European car drivers cover less than 25 miles (40km) a day and therefore the EV range offered by this technology will support the majority of short urban journeys, where fuel economy and emissions are of prime concern. However, for longer journeys the diesel hybrid drivetrain will engage and continually optimize CO2 emissions.

Overall CO2 emissions are just 89g/km, yet Range_e has a maximum system output of 339PS and a top speed of around 120mph (193kph), delivering a fuel economy of 85mpg (3.36 l/100km). Improved fuel efficiency from the hybrid system makes 690 miles (1,112km) possible on a full tank of fuel.

Range_e is also engineered with the same full 4WD capability as the standard Range Rover Sport, with high and low range in the transmission, front and rear differentials and a mechanical locking centre differential. Dependant on the driver demand, the car’s intelligent system decides the most efficient method to deliver the power required, whether this is by electric, diesel or both. The Range_e also features regenerative braking to capture energy usually wasted in heat energy via the brakes. This energy can then be redeployed to drive the vehicle, further reducing fossil fuel consumption.

The Range_e is one of a number of Land Rover projects supported by the UK Government’s Technology Strategy Board and five prototype models are currently engaged in a test program with Land Rover’s fellow members of the CABLED – Coventry and Birmingham Low Emissions Demonstrators – consortium. Land Rover anticipates its plug-in hybrid system will be brought to market in the near future, following on from the debut of its first standard diesel-electric hybrid models from 2013.

The electric Phantom, known as either the 102EX or Phantom Experimental Electric (EE), represents the company’s intention to carefully get opinions and reactions to alternative drive-train options from a range of people including owners, enthusiasts, members of the public and the media.

Phantom EE is thought to have the largest passenger car battery in the world. Peak current is 850A, delivered at 338V DC. Overall capacity is 71kWh.

The pack is comprised of large-format NCM pouch cells. NCM (Lithium-Nickel-Cobalt-Manganese-Oxide) is a variant of lithium-ion chemistry that has particularly high energy and power densities.

The Phantom EE battery pack houses five modules of cells, a 38-cell module, a 36-cell module, and three smaller ones of ten, eight and four arranged in various orientations within an irregular shaped unit. This resembles the overall shape of the original engine and gearbox.

Each of the 96 cells was individually tested before assembly into modules to determine their characteristics and capacity. Sub-assemblies were further tested under load to verify that the power connections between each cell perform to specification.

The electronic sensing units for each group of cells were tested and calibrated prior to assembly and put through a rigorous temperature cycling regime designed to provoke failure of weak components. The main electronic box, which contains the switching and control gear, was tested in isolation from the other components to verify correct operation.

Three separate charger units (3kW each) are fitted to the battery, which allow both single-phase (20 hours) or three-phase charging (8 hours); for a passenger car this is unique. A fourth induction charger is also fitted to enable wireless charging, a technology being trialled in Phantom EE.

Rolls says the battery will offer a range of around 125 miles and that it should last for three years if used on a daily basis.

Concerns about lack of available re-charging infrastructure in towns and cities are well documented and critics of electric motoring point to the additional inconvenience of trailing cables connected between power source and vehicles.

To present Rolls-Royce owners with a vision of a potential solution to these problems, Phantom EE is testing a technology called induction charging. This allows re-charging to take place without any physical connection, delivering greater convenience for owners and hinting at the potential for a network of remote charging facilities.

There are two main elements to induction charging; a transfer pad on the ground that delivers power from a mains source and an induction pad mounted under the car, beneath Phantom EE’s battery pack. Power frequencies are magnetically coupled across these power transfer pads.

The system is around 90 percent efficient when measured from mains supply to battery and it is tolerant to parking misalignment. For example, it is not essential to align the transmitter and Phantom receiver pads exactly for charging to take place. While pads are capable of transmitting power over gaps of up to 400mm, for Phantom EE the separation is in the region of 150mm.

The coupling circuits are tuned through the addi­tion of compensation capacitors. Pick-up coils in the receiver pad are magnetically coupled to the primary coil. Power transfer is achieved by tuning the pick-up coil to the operating frequency of the primary coil with a series or parallel capacitor.

The pick-up controller is an essential part of the technology because it takes power from the receiver pad and provides a controlled output to batteries. It is required to provide an output that remains independent of the load and the separation between pads. Without a controller, the voltage would rise as the gap decreases and fall as the load current increases.

The transmitter pad has been constructed to shield magnetic fields to prevent EMI egress to bystanders and the system operates well within internationally agreed limits.

The brand confirmed that the vehicle will be used as a “test bed” throughout the year. This consists of a tour through North American, European, Middle Eastern and Asian markets, where current Rolls-Royce owners will be offered test drives of the 102EX.

The SEAT IBX urban sports utility vehicle concept combines the powerful character and sporty design language of the Spanish brand with a self-confident look and distinctive proportions.

The SEAT IBX also boasts exceptional utility and outstanding versatility, as well as sustainable mobility through resource conservation. Its drive would come from an advanced hybrid powertrain that combines local zero-emissions electromobility in the city with the extensive cross-country range of an internal combustion engine.

Following the IBE from 2010, the IBX offers a further, extremely promising insight into the ongoing development of the SEAT Design world. The pure forms, the precise lines and the exact surfaces of the IBX convey the same distinctive design language that, in its modernity, sustains and strengthens the SEAT identity.

As the first evolution of this new design line, the IBX demonstrates just how well this design language works in combination with a completely different vehicle architecture and significantly larger dimensions. In its proportions, the IBX is a sports utility vehicle, but in its appearance it is clearly a sports coupe – it is hard to imagine a more accurate expression of the word ‘crossover’.

At a length of 4.26 meters, the SEAT IBX is relatively compact.  However, its width of 1.80 meters and height of 1.62 meters ensure powerful proportions.  And even though the IBX possesses the full versatility and utility of an SUV, with its two doors, stretched roofline and distinctive rear roof pillar it forms the perfect crossover between sports utility vehicle and classic sports coupe.

The front of the SEAT IBX is defined by full LED technology headlamps that are as sophisticated as they are distinctive.  They display the characteristic V that is a hallmark of the SEAT arrow design.  The entire front end bears this arrow shape, with radiator grille and bonnet also picking up the V-form.

The surfaces above the wheel arches are clearly accentuated in their lines like carefully toned, sinuous muscle.  Equally distinctive are the air intakes low down on the front end and featuring integrated fog lamps – their wide positioning reinforces the impression of width and power.

Meanwhile the side view of the IBX emphasizes its powerful stature – a clearly defined shoulder, the powerful, three-dimensional flanks and the sharply differentiated surfaces underscore the dynamic look, as do the large wheels featuring an aerodynamic five twin-spoke design.  Typical of SEAT are the two distinctive scores that run from the front wheel arch into the door and over the rear wheel arch.

The length of the stretched roofline is further emphasized by the rear spoiler and the narrow horizontal of the glass surfaces along the sides, with the distinctive, trapezoidal roof pillar creating an impression of exceptional solidity.  The sharply cut exterior mirror is mounted on the door, as on a sports car.  Sharp precision is also evident in the slender, recessed door openers.

The rear end adopts the characteristic form of the front and reinterprets it.  The rear lights in LED light-guide technology and the rear windscreen with its additional angle in the centre also bear the arrow motif, while the suggestion of a diffuser beneath the bumper surface derives its form from the front air intakes.

Importantly the entire vehicle bears no extraneous ornamentation.  Every single line has the function of structuring the volume and surfaces of the car, each of the muscles emerging from the form emphasizing the sporty design.  The reduction of form consistently applied and the precision in every detail are fixed features of the SEAT Design philosophy.

The powertrain concept is perfect for the mobility requirements of an urban area, while meeting personal expectations of freedom.  The vehicle, with its electric range of 45 kilometers, can cover many everyday journeys – with zero local emissions and sustainable responsibility.  And yet its range is not limited.  Personal freedom is always guaranteed and unlimited mobility supplied courtesy of the internal combustion engine.

Possible combustion engine candidates are the state-of-the-art direct injection TDI and TSI engines from the modern SEAT line-up.  And, of course, the IBX is equipped with all the efficiency technologies from the Ecomotive program.  In its base configuration, the IBX is set up for front wheel drive.  However, a modern 4WD system might be an option for further enhanced mobility.

It is a development of the Microbus concept which made its debut ten years ago in 2001 and a new generation of Volkswagen people carrier – the first of which broke cover back in 1950 with the production of the first Transporter.

More compact than the 2001 concept vehicle, the new Volkswagen Bulli is powered by an electric motor and fitted with six seats and infotainment control via iPad.

It is front-engined and front-wheel drive.  On a wheelbase measuring 2.62 meters – slightly longer than that of a Golf (2.58 m) – the new Bulli measures 3.99 m in length, 1.75 m in width and 1.70 m in height.  In relation to its width it has a wide track (1.50 m front and rear), and very short overhangs at the front and back. Its kerb weight is 1,450 kg.

This includes the weight of the energy source: a 40 kWh lithium-ion battery, which is concealed in the sandwiched floor behind the sills and powers the Bulli’s electric motor.  This engine produces 85 kW (115 PS) of power and 260 Nm (192 lbs ft) of torque and the theoretical driving range is up to 300 km (186 miles) – a high value for an electric car.  With this electric motor, the new Bulli can accelerate from zero to 62 mph in 11.5 seconds and go on to an electronically limited top speed of 87 mph.  The concept could also accommodate, as an alternative power source, one of Volkswagen’s efficient petrol and diesel direct injection engines.

Like the original Samba bus, the Bulli presented in Geneva has two-tone paint and a distinctive ‘V’ on the bonnet; its 18-inch alloy wheels with stylized chrome hubcaps are another tribute to the Samba bus.

Inside the Bulli has six seats: three on a front bench seat (which can be split and folded) and three on the rear bench which can be folded flat to maximize loadspace – or turn into a bed in the true spirit of the iconic campervan.  When all six seating locations are occupied, a 370 liter loadspace is available; with seats folded, the cargo capacity of the 1.8 meter long interior increases to 1,600 liters.

A removable iPad in the centre console serves as a multifunctional touchscreen.  Along with Internet-based applications and the media centre, it also handles phone and navigation functions. There is no tachometer (unnecessary with an electric motor) nor a centre console, nor gear lever. The latter is replaced by a rotary switch to the right of the driver, which is used to select forward and reverse gears.  A push button in the same switch is used to activate and switch off the motor. Another rotary switch to the left of the driver is used to control the lighting functions.