The 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show will commence in early September with the big players showing off their latest in Hybrid and Electric Vehicles to the world.
The show is spread accross several buildings in a purpose built exhibition centre in the city of Frankfurt. Most of the larger buildings are occupied by the big German automakers who will be responsible for many of the show’s big debuts. Here is a brief look at what is being showcased so far. We will bring you a full report and images of the latest technology after the show.
BMW i3
Frankfurt will mark its official world debut following a range of small city-based launches last month. The BMW i3 was first debuted in 2010 at Frankfurt.
BMW i8
Frankfurt was also the launchpad for BMW’s other much-anticipated Project i vehicle, the i8 plug-in hybrid sports car, The i8 has a 1.5-liter 3-cylinder turbocharged powerplant and electric motor combination, low fuel use is still a priority. 
Mercedes -Benz S500 Hybrid
Mercedes-Benz has experimented with fully-electric vehicles in the form of the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive and ballistic SLS AMG Electric Drive, but it still sees a conventional engine as vital for its larger models–one of which is the S500 Plug-In Hybrid.
The S500 gets a claimed 78 mpg between electric and petrol running–though in the real world, these figures will vary.
Range Rover Hybrid
Land Rover will debut two new hybrid products at the Frankfurt Auto Show, based on the new Range Rover and Range Rover Sport models. Each will use a 3.0-liter diesel V-6 as its basis, an 8-speed ZF automatic gearbox (used across the automotive world) and a 35 kW electric motor. As regular hybrids rather than plug-ins they rely more on their diesel powerplants than electric drive, but the company claims 36.7 mpg on the combined European cycle.
BMW X 5 Concept
BMW isn’t just displaying two new production electric vehicles at Frankfurt–it has a concept too. The Concept5 X5 eDrive looks essentially production ready, and could well be the next hybrid model BMW launches. It uses a four-cylinder engine paired with an electric motor for a combined 62 mpg–in European testing, at least. It’s also as quick as the firm’s diesel X5, but offers almost 20 miles of electric range.
Opel Monza
The Monza looks back to a classic Opel of the same name, but the gull-winged four-seater is a long way from its namesake’s 2-door coupe layout. Under the bonnet is a 1.0-liter, three-cylinder turbocharged engine running on compressed natural gas as part of a range-extended drivetrain.
VW e Golf & e UP
VW are launching their generation 7 electric golf and electric super mini the e UP. Both have been under going tests worldwide and have industry standard range and power. They are both based on the conventional engined models and are expected to present VW’s commitment in future electric technology. A fully electric generation 6 Golf was in Dublin last year promoting the technology for ESB’s ecars after undergoing extensive worldwide testing .
Toyota Yaris Hybrid R
Toyota’s Hybrid-R concept will be based on the Yaris rather than being an all-new hybrid sports car. As the Yaris Hybrid-R has a 400-horsepower, all-wheel drive hybrid layout this should at least help reassure followers that hybrids can be just as exciting as regular cars.