The 2010 Paris Motor Show is upon us and amongst the supercars and superminis lie a veritable feast of electric vehicles.
Whilst we've known about many of the cars due to be shown for a little while now, for many it will be the first opportunity to see the newest EV concepts and production cars up close and manufacturers will be hoping to make a big impression.
So here is your AllCarsElectric roundup of the EVs that'll be stealing the show in Paris. Check out the roundup of other green cars in Paris over at GreenCarReports.
Production cars
2011 Nissan Leaf
Not really a vehicle that needs much of an introduction, and one of the most important cars of any type soon to hit the streets. European pricing varies between $40,000 and $44,000 before local incentives, and U.S. versions will start at $32,780 before federal and local incentives.
Range should be around the 100 mile mark with comfortable freeway ability. We've had a few opportunities to drive the Leaf and come away impressed each time. You can find all the details of the 2011 Leaf in our Ultimate Reference Guide.
Mitsubishi i-MIEV electric car
Mitsubishi's i-MiEV has been doing the rounds in Japan Europe for a few years now but the Japanese maker is still making refinements to the design and engineering before the car goes on sale to the public.
The i-MiEV will play an important part in the European market, as the PSA group who own Peugeot and Citroen have licenced the car from Mitsubishi and both companies will sell re-badged versions across Europe in left-hand drive.
For the U.S. market, the i-MiEV is expected to gain a host of extra safety features and grow a little in size. The U.S. market car should go on sale as a 2012 model. Check out our Ultimate Reference Guide here.
2011 Tesla Roadster 2.5
The latest version of Tesla's ubiquitous Roadster model will be shown in Paris, allowing people a closer look at the EV stealing all the headlines. Comfort, performance, equipment and styling have all gained improvements over the previous model having listened to customer feedback.
The Tesla Model S sports sedan isn't expected to make an appearance, unfortunately.
2011 Mercedes-Benz A-Class E-Cell battery electric vehicle (Europe only)
U.S. customers don't get Mercedes' smallest model, the A-Class, but the car has been a feature on European roads since the late 1990s.
The Stuttgart marque now has an EV with the three-pointed star on the hood with the A-Class E-Cell, having previously explored EVs with the Smart Electric Drive. The E-Cell has been given more power though and a greater battery capacity offers more range, up to 125 miles.
The E-Cell is unlikely to come to the States though, with the 500 examples only going as far as Germany, France and the Netherlands.
Renault Fluence ZE production electric sedan
Renault are expected to make a big impact in the EV market any time soon. Their Kangoo Express Z.E. will offer staggering value, matching the prices of diesel models of the same vehicle in France, and Renault claim the Fluence sedan will be available cheaper than the equivalent gasoline car.
The Zoe and Twizy Z.E. models, a subcompact and tiny city car, are technically both concepts at this stage but both cars are being considered for production in the next few years.
None will hit U.S. soil, but Renault's partnership with Nissan means that their powertrains might.
Saab 9-3 ePower EV
We brought you news of Saab's 9-3 ePower a few weeks back, and it's another vehicle that'll be on display at the show. The ePower is the Swedish firm's first attempt at an electric car.
Based on the 9-3 SportCombi, the ePower offers impressive performance from a 135kW (184 horsepower) electric motor reaching 60mph in 8.5 seconds and with a top speed of over 90mph, freeway cruising should be comfortable. Range is 124 miles and Saab claim that their battery heating and cooling technology ensures range shouldn't deviate too much whether you live in the Northern-most regions of Sweden or the hottest stretches of Nevada.
Unfortunately you're unlikely to see it in Nevada since the ePower trial is limited to 70 cars in Sweden, but the car is sure to mark Saab's first EV of many.
Concepts
2010 Smart Escooter Concept
Having been on the scene with the ForTwo-based Electric Drive for some time now, Smart's plans to improve urban mobility are now considering two wheels rather than just two seats.
A 6-horsepower disc-shaped wheel hub motor gives a strictly urban-only top speed of 30 miles per hour, but at those speeds you should get plenty of time to enjoy the city streets with the 62 mile range.
The Escooter is just a concept at this stage but fits in with Daimler's plan to diversify the Smart range.
2010 MINI Scooter E Concept
Smart aren't the only small-car company considering a switch to two wheels - fellow German maker MINI are also showing an electric scooter, the Scooter E concept.
The Scooter E is the latest step in BMW's Project i division, which also includes the MINI E, and the BMW ActiveE and Megacity projects. The Scooter E manages to share design cues with the MINI cars, aided by a traditional British Racing Green paint scheme.
MINI haven't yet revealed any performance or range details, but like the Smart its motor is integrated into the rear hub.
2010 Renault DeZir Concept
Moving back to four wheels, Renault will be showing the stunning DeZir concept at its home motor show.
The gullwing-doored DeZir uses a tweaked version of the motor found in their near-production ready EVs the Fluence and Kangoo Z.E producting 110kW of power, allowing it to reach a top speed of 110mph and hit 60mph in five seconds.
The DeZir can be charged up to 80 percent in as little as twenty minutes. Though it's another model unlikely to be seen in the States, there are rumours that it might provide the basis of a future Nissan or Infiniti electric sports model.
Exagon Furtive eGT
Vying for the title of "sexiest French electric supercar" at the Paris Show with Renault's DeZir is the Furtive eGT by French racing car company Exagon, responsible for ice racing and touring car teams across France.
The Furtive eGT should trounce the DeZir on performance and range though, and could even give the 2010 Tesla Roadster 2.5 a run for its money, with a 0-60 time of only 3.5 seconds and a range of almost 250 miles - and that's before the range-extending motor kicks in. Yep, it has one of those too.
Although the eGT is only a concept at this stage, the company reckons production could begin as soon as 2012. Price? U.S. availability? Too soon to say, unfortunately. Best start bugging Exagon if you want to see it here.
2010 Jaguar C-X75 Concept, released at 2010 Paris Motor Show
If there's one thing Jaguar enthusiasts have been asking for more than anything else it's a replacement for the iconic XJ220 supercar, at one time the fastest production car in the world.
Jaguar have answered their prayers with the stunning C-X75 Concept, a gas-turbine range-extended electric supercar. Like the XJ220, the C-X75 should have a top speed of over 200mph and reach 60 miles per hour in only 3.4 seconds, quicker even than the Exagon Furtive eGT previewed above. Unlike the XJ220, the new Jag also offers 70 miles of pure electric range around town, offering an exciting mix of mean and green.
Once the electric range is depleted, two gas turbines, on show through the rear window, kick in with speeds of up to 80,000rpm to charge the batteries and provide a power boost with the option to directly spin the drive motors.
The interior is a hyper-modern mix of neoprene and traditional leather, as well as aluminum accents to complement the aluminum chassis. Find out more about the C-X75 at MotorAuthority.com.
