FORGET ABOUT 20” alloys – the must-have accessory at this year’s Frankfurt motor show is an electric plug. It’s fitting that the most significant shift towards making electric cars mainstream should be showcased less than 100km from the town where Karl Benz built and patented his internal combustion engine.
It might seem folly to suggest this year’s Frankfurt motor show represents an equally momentous moment in motoring, but it certainly signals a massive sea-change in attitudes over a relatively short time.
The biennial showcase for the global motor industry has witnessed electric cars race from the fringes of fantasy to centre stage in the space of two years.
It’s not just the likes of the petrol electric hybrids – even the most ardent fossil-fuelled brands are showcasing plug-in electric versions here.
Apart from the emphasis on low emissions, the show is also signaling that the worst may be over for many of the world’s car brands.
The global recession has taken its toll on the show, with several firms not featuring their wares.
Mitsubishi, Nissan and Honda are the biggest names to pull out, but in the sea of metal on show over 11 halls – each one roughly the size of St Stephen’s Green in Dublin – it’s actually quite hard to notice their absence over the 170,000 sq m of show space.
For all the changes afoot, there is still plenty of life – and cash – in the car industry.