Frankfurt Motor Show: EVs make their presence felt

By CARSIFU | 18 September 2015


FRANKFURT: The Thunder Power concept debuted at this year's Frankfurt motor show that's meant for the premium and electric vehicle (EV) markets and it hopes to hit the ground running, silently and for 600km between charges, by 2017.

The company also hopes to compete in terms of power and appearance with a claimed 430bhp electric motor that'll send the electric vehicle to 100kph in under five seconds before reaching an electronically limited top speed of 250kph.

Styling is described as European, and a close look reveals hints toward Jaguar and Maserati in there though there's also an element similar to Mitsuoka.



Inside, the lines are very clean and very European in terms of fit, finish and material, and there's a great wrap-around TFT screen that runs the length of the dashboard in place of normal dials.

The company is being helmed Peter Tutzer and Franz Schulte formerly of Bugatti and Ford respectively

Atega Scalo - 01
Also making its debut is the new Artega Scalo, which is also a pure EV, but its makers aren't new to the market.

Artega was a German sportscar company that went under in 2012 and has made a return by announcing its electrically powered relaunch with what looks like a traditional mid-engined supersports car - low slung with wide hips and big air intakes.

And while it can hit 100kph in just 3.6 seconds, it does so with electric motors and has a claimed range of 400km between charges.

The car, if connected to a 64kW DC charger, will be ready fully charged in an hour.



As for Borgward, it was once a premium German automotive brand that made cars till 1961, before going under and today it debuted its BX7 - a clean-looking sculpted crossover with a premium interior.

Initially power will come from a turbocharged petrol engine but the company is aiming to move to a hybrid set-up and then eventually to full electric power.

It also has very serious ambitions for the car, believing it can challenge BMW, Audi and Mercedes in China and eventually in Europe with a strong sales forecast of 500,000 units per year.

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