New Cars, New Green Concepts

More importantly manufacturers talk about exploiting the expanding car markets in Eastern Europe and the Far East. This year's show featured an unprecedented 68 new cars or concepts to whet the appetites of consumers.

As always green motoring seems to be on an upward trend. Last year's popular Green Pavilion has been expanded and moved to a central location at the venue. There are also the 'Green Test Drives' where visitors can test drive the latest electric and hybrid vehicles.

With thirty six exhibitors unveiling seventeen 'green' world premiers and thirteen electrical vehicles, greener motoring continues to gather momentum. This trend continues here and in Europe, and also in the US, if the Detroit motor show was anything to go by.

This strengthening industry commitment to greener motoring is best exemplified by the car maker Rolls Royce, who unveiled their first ever electric vehicle in the shape of the Phantom Experimental Electric concept. The car is powered by the world's largest car battery, running its two electric motors. It can also be charged wirelessly. If you park your Phantom on special pads embedded in the ground, it will begin charging automatically, without the need for a cable.

While we wait to see how Rolls Royce will turn its concept into reality, there are other car makers introducing more affordable green cars.

Volvo unveiled the world's first diesel plug-in hybrid that offers the driver the choice to drive on all-electric, on engine alone or using the car's hybrid system. The Swedish firm claim the latter produces a mere 49g/km of CO2.

Nissan is also showing off its Esflow, a concept two-seater sports coupe that uses the technology from its EV hatchback, the Leaf. This time however the body shape becomes more appealing, and the vehicle boasts a sub-five-second 0-60 time. If the Esflow could mean both affordable and sexy EV motoring.

For petrolheads fearful of losing their beloved combustion engines, all manner of petrol-powered metal has been unveiled. Highlights that should be among some of the best new cars in 2011 include the svelte Aston Martin Virage, the Lamborghini Aventador, the replacement for its much-loved but ageing Murcielago, and the £97k 542bhp Jaguar XKR-S.

More 'real-world' new cars for 2011 include the Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet (the first Golf cabrio in nearly a decade); the Citroen DS4 which if anything like the DS3, should be fabulous; and the surprisingly frugal Kia Rio - claimed by the Korean company to be the world's greenest non-electric car. Kia claim CO2 emissions of merely 85g/km and impressive fuel economy figure of 88mpg.

As for what we can expect over the coming years, there's little doubt that the green trend will continue. With governments offering subsidies and incentives for EVs and hybrids too, public interest is bound only top increase.

It's worth bearing in mind that, according to Jaguar-Land Rover, most luxury cars will have a form of hybrid powertrain by 2020.