The Frankfurt Motor Show wraps up this weekend, and with it goes a stunning collection of cars, trucks, vans, urban transporters, flying taxis and more. After looking at the concept cars, the sports cars, the camper vans, and the trucks and SUVs, we still have many more show photos of world premieres, classics, three-wheelers, buggies and much more. So as we bid this year's IAA adieu, we give you one final gallery.
A show of superlatives
The 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show has been up there with the best we've seen in terms of debuting and previewing advanced technologies and new (sometimes weird) ideas in mobility. The show has hosted everything from a first look at Mercedes-AMG's advanced F1-molded supercar, to the latest in flying cars and VTOL shuttles, to fast-forwards like home-integrated Renaults and autonomous Audis.
Electric powertrain technology has also been a major storyline, with Volkswagen promising to invest €6 billion (US$7.2 billion) in electric mobility over the next five years, Honda stating that every one of its new European car models will feature electrified tech, all-new Japanese badge Aspark showing what might just be the quickest road car in the world (although not the quickest from 0-400-0), and major players like Mercedes and BMW displaying the latest conceptual evolutions of their electric development programs.
Having looked at all those stories in individual articles and previous galleries, we found ourselves staring at a still-huge gallery of unused photos, so we knew one last look at Frankfurt was in order. A few of the highlights we haven't looked at previously:
Mercedes GLC F-Cell
Mercedes was putting the finishing touches on the GLC F-Cell the last we checked, and it gave the electrified SUV a prime location right outside its Frankfurt hall, a few spots over from the impressive Volocopter. The show model is still a pre-production vehicle, though the camouflage has been lifted. It features what Daimler calls a world-first combination of fuel cell and plug-in battery electric technology, combining the benefits of both storage mediums for over 300 combined miles of range, 272 miles (437 km) from the hydrogen tanks and 30 (49 km) from the 13.8 kWh lithium-ion battery, as per the NEDC. An intelligent management system directs power from the two sources to the 197-hp (147-kW) electric motor.
The F-Cell offers a more robust range than most modern electric vehicles, pure battery-electric driving capability, clean hydrogen driving, and short hydrogen refueling times, making it both practical and environmentally friendly. Mercedes says that its engineers are taking the final steps toward production, which will take place in Bremen, Germany.
Trasco B4 A-Kip Hybrid Limousine
Stepping way down the practicality scale, unless you happen to be a high-ranking government official or international super-spy, is another luxury car from Bremen: the Trasco B4 A-Kip Hybrid Limousine. Trasco set out in Frankfurt to highlight the mix of armoring and eco-friendly drive power on this beefed-up BMW 740Le xDrive iPerformance. Power comes from BMW's fuel-frugal hybrid split, and Trasco's B4 armoring offers a lightweight, "anti-kidnapping" level of protection that Trasco says is optimized for current threats like street crime and violent protests. The large BMW sedan, with its reflective black paint and thick ballistic glass, definitely looks the part of an armored car built for dignitaries and despots.
Adaptive City Mobility eTaxi
The fruits of the German government-supported Adaptive City Mobility project, the City eTaxi is a light, versatile electric taxi concept for urban centers. Its aluminum chassis, composite passenger cell and plastic components keep weight down to 1,213 lb (550 kg). The car seats a single driver up front and two passengers in back, storing two to four suitcases in a small "backpack" trunk.
The City eTaxi's batteries are stored in the floor, as is common in EVs, only they're secured inside a slide-out storage tray that allows for easy removal and swapping. Each battery module can be quickly pulled out by its handle and swapped for a charged module, allowing the taxi to quickly "refuel" without having to be taken off the streets for hours on end. Fleet management software connects all the taxis, battery charging stations and end users, helping to effectively direct taxis where they're needed.
With its large plexiglass windows and compact design, the City eTaxi feels like a non-autonomous, modern-day version of the futuristic Smart Vision EQ ForTwo. ACM imagines it, and perhaps a fleet of different vehicle types based on the same technology, finding use not only for taxiing passengers, but also for carrying cargo, hosting city tours and serving other purposes.
Head to the gallery for one last look at all the other sights of the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show.