“In Emerg-E, we’re trying to study and investigate and showcase two things: one is the potential of a mid-engine sportscar for the Infiniti range, and the second is of a new range-extended powertrain,” Hardcastle said.

The Infiniti Emerg-E has two electric motors, one powering each rear wheel. Together they produce 402 horsepower and make the car capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in four seconds. The Emerg-E has a 30-mile electric-only range, after which a small three-cylinder gasoline engine kicks in to recharge the lithium-ion battery pack. The car can also be plugged in to recharge.

Like the Chevrolet Volt, the gas engine acts as an onboard generator and does not power the wheels. The Lotus Evora 414E, also on display at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, uses a powertrain setup similar to that of the Emerg-E.

The Emerg-E has an aluminum chassis and carbon fiber body to keep weight down. It weighs in at 3,523 pounds. Besides being a testbed for technology, the car also provides a platform for the company to explore what a mid-engine Infiniti sports car might look like.

The future of electric mobility at Audi is highly dynamic: The R8 e-tron has set a world record for a production vehicle with an electric drive system on the Nürburgring Nordschleife – the toughest test track in the world. Racing driver Markus Winkelhock piloted the high-performance, all-electric-drive sports car around the demanding 20.8-kilometer (12.92-mile) track in 8:09.099 minutes. With this Audi has achieved yet another milestone in its history, following overall wins at the 24-hour races at the Nürburgring and Le Mans.

“The R8 e-tron has given a magnificent demonstration of its potential on the toughest race track in the world,” said Michael Dick, AUDI AG Board Member for Technical Development. Dick, who completed a fast lap himself in the R8 e-tron, added: “The record-setting drive confirmed that we are on the right track. To us, electric mobility has never been about sacrifice, but rather is about emotion, sportiness and driving pleasure.” A comparison with the current record lap driven by a combustion engined production car shows just how impressive the 8:09.099-minute time really is. The record time of 7:11.57 minutes was achieved with a Gumpert Apollo Sport, which is powered by a 515 kW (700 hp) Audi V8 gasoline engine.

The drive system of the Audi R8 e-tron that Markus Winkelhock drove to the world record corresponds in every detail with that of the production model that will come on the market at the end of the year. Both of the car’s electric motors generate an output of 230 kW and 820 Nm of torque; more than 4,900 Nm (3,614.05 lb-ft) are distributed to the rear wheels nearly from a standing start. The Audi R8 e-tron accelerates from zero to 0 to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in just 4.6 seconds. Its top speed is normally limited to 200 km/h (124.27 mph); 250 km/h (155.34 mph) was approved for the record-setting lap.

The R8 e-tron’s rechargeable lithium-ion battery stores 49 KWh of energy – enough for a distance of about 215 kilometers (133.59 miles). Its “T” shape allows it to be installed in the center tunnel and in the area between the passenger compartment and the rear axle. It is charged by energy recovery during coasting and braking. The ultralight car body of the Audi R8 e-tron is made primarily of aluminum, along with CFRP components; this is a main reason why the high-performance sports car weighs just 1,780 kilograms (3,924.23 lb), despite the large battery.

“Of course, the R8 e-tron is a production car, not a racing car with the assistance of aerodynamics,” Winkelhock emphasized. “But with its low center of gravity and rear biased weight distribution, it brings with it a lot of sporty qualities. The torque with which the electric motors propel the car uphill beats everything that I know – even if they make hardly any noise in the process, which at the start was really a completely new experience for me. In places where I really need traction, the torque vectoring – the displacement of the torque between the powered wheels – really helps me.”

Daimler today has unveiled the F-CELL Roadster, the latest in their line of “F-Series” concept vehicles, and as you’ll see, it draws its inspiration from a diverse variety of automotive eras.  From a functional standpoint, it’s a roadster fitted with a 1.2 kW hybrid drive – one that allows the F-CELL to reach a top speed of 15 mph and achieve an operating range of  217 miles.  From a design standpoint, however, is where the F-CELL Roadster truly shines, as it manages to blend the overall aura of the originalBenz patent motor car with seating and a fiberglass front section both drawn from elements of Formula One racing.

As for who was responsible for creating the unique F-CELL Roadster, that honor goes to the trainees of of Daimler AG at the Sindelfingen plant, with more than 150 trainees and dual education system students working for about a year on the overall concept, development, assembly, and completion of the hybrid model.  According to Human Resources Board member and Labor Relations Manager Günther Fleig:  “This project impressively demonstrates that the topic of sustainable mobility has become an integral part of our vocational training.  I am delighted to see how much initiative and creativity the young people have put into this project.”

Citroen Survolt Concept is the continuation of Citroen’s exploration of distinctive and original electric vehicles, initiated with the Revolte concept car revealed at 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. Citroen Survolt Concept turns received notions on their heads through its radically new vision in a consummate blend of high-fashion glamour and extravagance with motor-racing punch.

The desire to overcome one’s limits, take things further, dare and create is written in Citroen’s DNA. Breaking with convention, shaking up the rules, shifting borders and surprising continuously is the passionate quest and leitmotiv of a brand that over its 90-year history has never ceased to develop innovative objects ahead of their time. Citroen Survolt Concept is one of these. It takes the genetic material of Revolte and adds an extroverted sports dimension to the mix.

Like a luxury accessory that transcends an outfit, Survolt Concept is Citroen’s answer to an automotive universe that all too often seems morose. Citroen Survolt Concept casts aside protocol and transgresses existing codes to initiate a new kind of stylish, sporty and elegant supermini. Bucking current trends and pointing to the future of sleek coupés, it unites elegance, glamour and sporting passion, sublimating this last quality with its electric drivetrain.

With its compact dimensions – 3.85 m long, 1.87 m wide and 1.20 m high – Citroen Survolt Concept reappropriates sports car styling cues to form an all-new and revolutionary concept.