parisautoshow2018
Latest
BMW's i3 is now an electric-only car in Europe
For years, BMW has offered its i3 electric car with a range extender option that used a gas engine to top up the battery and provide some extra driving distance. You'll have to kiss that feature goodbye if you live in Europe, though. BMW has dropped the range extender for European buyers now that the 2019 i3 has a larger-capacity 42.2kWh battery instead of the old 33kWh unit. The new EV provides 34 more miles of range (193 miles on the WLTP testing cycle) than the previous model. Combined with wider availability of fast charging stations, interest is "shifting to a pure-electric model" on the continent, a brand spokesperson told Autocar.
Here's what you missed at the 2018 Paris Auto Show
France badly wants electric cars, but as the 2018 Paris Auto Show demonstrated, that's still a long way from happening. Sure, we saw plenty of exciting EV concepts, like Peugeot's throwback E-Legend, the autonomous Renault EZ-ULTIMO land yacht and Mercedes back-to-the-50s EQ Silver Arrow. However, some of Europe's large automakers, like VW, didn't even show up. And apart from Kia's E-Niro, there were no new and affordable non-gasoline cars that you'll be able to buy soon in Europe.
See the stylish and confusing vehicles from the Paris Auto Show
The Paris Auto Show 2018 may have been devoid of big vehicle launches, but that doesn't mean it was boring. We saw a mix of cool (the Peugeot E-Legend), weird (Renault's EZ-ULTIMO), quick (Infiniti's Project Black S) and long-range (the Kia e-Niro). Other vehicles appeared in public for the first time, like Bugatti's 1,500 horsepower, $5.8 million, 236 mph W16 Divo, and Mercedes EQC 400 SUV launching in 2020. Mercedes incredible electric supercar, the EQ Silver Arrow concept (above), also made its car show debut. Here's a petite sampling of the most interesting cars from the show.
Citroen's DS shows off its mainstream crossover EV
You may have never seen Citroen's DS 3, but it's one of the most popular cars in Europe. When the company (actually a new, separate brand called DS) unveiled a crossover version called the DS 3 Crossback, it also announced plans to sell an electric version called the DS 3 Crossback E-Tense.
Peugeot's E-Legend concept EV is a futuristic throwback
Whatever image you might have of French cars, Peugeot's E-Legend concept EV is here to destroy that. Unveiled at the Paris Auto Show, the throwback vehicle is inspired by Peugeot's 504 Coupe, but the bulging rear fender and particularly the front end nod to '60s American muscle cars. While the rear end taillights have a vintage French look, they've been updated with thin, sharp-looking looking LED lights. In other words, this is one of the tightest EVs we've seen yet.
Kia's e-Niro crossover goes almost 300 miles on a charge
Kia has launched the e-Niro, an all-electric version of its hybrid Niro, with some pretty strong claims about the range. The Korean automaker says it can travel 485 km (301 miles) on a charge, which would make it one of the longest-range EVs in the world. That's due in part to an optional 64 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery that's fairly large for the size of the car, along with a regenerative braking system. Kia's Driving Assistant System (Eco DAS) also extends range by telling the driver exactly when to coast or brake.
Renault's EZ-ULTIMO is a self-driving luxury lounge
With its last two concept cars, the EZ-GO and EZ-PRO, Renault focused on how autonomous cars could transport people and packages en masse, with a bit of style. With its latest car, the EZ-ULTIMO, the automaker is focusing mostly on the "style" part. Unveiled appropriately at the Paris Auto Show, it's a robotic EV concept that offers a "premium travel experience" rather than basic transportation, coddling occupants in wood, marble and leather.
Smart unveils its oh-so-cute Forease urban EV concept
When Smart unveils a new concept car, you're guaranteed to see something lighthearted. The Mercedes-owned company has followed that edict to the "T" at the Paris Auto Show, unveiling the adorable, roofless Forease concept. The new model pays tribute to Smart's last two concept cars, the Crossblade and Forspeed, but is based on the standard production ForTwo and is thus drivable.
Infiniti 'dual-hybrid' concept car gathers heat to boost performance
Most hybrid cars are meant to save fuel and the planet. You can't say that about Infiniti's just-unveiled Project Black S concept, however -- here, it's all about speed. It's built on the design of the Q60 Red Sport 400, but contains a Formula 1-derived "dual hybrid" system that can recuperate electricity when the car is braking and accelerating. There's one motor generator unit that captures energy from the brakes. The real stars, though, are two motor generator units on the V6 engine that collect heat from the twin turbos, translating it into either reduced turbo lag (by spinning the turbines faster than they would on their own) or as much as 120kW of power for the drivetrain.
