2010 Paris Auto Show

Tesla has shown that there is a market for performance-oriented EVs, a lesson that manufacturers are taking to heart as evidenced by the plethora of electrically driven concepts displayed at the Paris Auto Show. Everyone from established manufacturers like Audi to newcomers like Exagon Motors had either pure or range-extended electrics with a performance bent on display. While range is still an issue—even the most optimistic estimates were still less than 150 miles—performance is not, with blistering 0 to 60 mph times of less than 5 seconds and top speeds in excess of 200 mph were being bandied abou

Audi eTron Spyder Concept
If the night before the show was owned by the 408-bhp Quattro concept, the feature of the day was the Audi eTron Spyder Concept. This is the open-top version of the 2-seat eTron coupe shown earlier this year at Detroit. The Spyder features a cut-down windscreen and is actually a plug-in hybrid with a mid-mounted 300-bhp twin-turbo V-6 diesel to boost power and extend the vehicle’s range. Weighing just 3196 lb., the eTron has two electric motors that propel this sports car to 62 mph in 4.4 seconds, while top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph. In pure electric mode, the eTron has a range of about 30 miles, while the diesel enables the vehicle to travel more than 600 miles before refueling.

Jaguar C-X75 Concept
As a way of celebrating its 75th anniversary, the Jaguar C-X75 Concept takes the idea of a 2-seat supercar to a whole new level by using a lithium-ion battery pack and two small gas turbine engines to drive electric motors positioned at all four corners of the vehicle. With a total of 778 hp at its disposal, the C-X75 is said to be able to accelerate to 62 mph in 3.4 seconds and has a top speed of 205 mph. The two turbines are mounted behind the cabin’s bulkhead and spin up to 80,000 rpm. The electric motors provide up to 1180 lb.-ft. of torque, which enables the car to have such blistering performance. In addition to being able to run up to 68 miles in pure electric mode, the turbine engines give the C-X75 additional range of up to 560 miles.

SEAT IBe Concept
The Spanish automaker showed a small 2-door sport coupe that is reminiscent of the VW Scirocco. Called the SEAT IBe Concept, this pure electric is powered by lithium-ion batteries and produces 102 hp and 200 lb.-ft. of torque from its electric motor. This handsome hatch can accelerate to 62 mph in 9.7 seconds and has a range of 130 miles between charges. The 2+2 weighs just 2400 lb. and despite measuring less than 12 feet (144 in.) in length, it offers a generous cabin with the flexibility of fold-down rear seats for additional cargo space. The compact dimensions make the IBe an ideal city car. Top speed is said to be 100 mph.

Exagon Furtive-eGT
The latest entry into the range-extended sporty car market is the French-built Exagon Furtive-eGT, which is slated to go into limited production in 2012. Powered by lithium-ion batteries, the Furtive-eGT has an electric-only range of 160 to 250 miles, while an optional gas engine can extend that range to 500 miles. Exagon says the car is capable of 0 to 62 mph acceleration of 3.5 seconds and that the car has a top speed of 178 mph. The company hopes to build about 100 cars a year when it goes into full production. Unlike most EVs that use the motors to directly drive the wheels, the Furtive-eGT uses a 3-speed paddle-shift gearbox attached to a mechanical auto-locking differential.

Renault DeZir Concept
This first show car from Renault’s new design director Lauren van der Acker is a 2-seat pure electric sports car called the DeZir. The capital Z in the name refers to Renault’s new ZE line of electric motors—in this case it’s a 150-hp unit that accelerates the 1800-lb. car to 62 mph in about 5 seconds. Contributing to the car’s light weight is its Kevlar body, and the sleek shape gives the car an ultra-low 0.25 coefficient of drag. The rear-drive DeZir has a range of about 100 miles between charges. The car is also equipped with a Kinetic Energy Recover System (KERS) developed by the Renault Formula 1 team that provides regenerative braking.