Although there are only 60 000 electric and hybrid vehicles operating in Germany at this point in time, e-mobility is seen as a significant potential growth market for the future, which means service and maintenance operations will have to gear up to handle these types of vehicles and the technologies involved.
This growing swing to e-mobility was very evident at the recent Automechanika trade fair for the automotive aftermarket in Frankfurt. More than 150 exhibitors were present with products and services related to this future direction for automotive technology. There were exhibits of electric cars, commercial vehicles and bicycles located together in one hall, as well as two outdoor areas where electric vehicles were demonstrated and two-wheelers could be taken for a test ride.
Exhibits included several commercially available cars, including the Opel Ampera (a variant of the Chevrolet Volt that is sold in the US) and a Nissan Leaf, both of which are sold in Europe, as well as the Tesla and Fisker Karma from the US. There were also several cars and commercials which have been converted from petrol or diesel power to electric power, many of the cars based on the Fiat 500.
There were also a number of complete, concept electric and hybrid vehicles on display as well as many components. Audi had a special exhibit showing how the high voltage technology operates in the Q5 Hybrid, while they also displayed the special workshop equipment required to service these vehicles.
However, the company that probably made the biggest impact in terms of demonstrating e-mobility in dramatic fashion on an outdoor display area was the well-known forklift manufacturer Linde. Under the banner Experience e-Motion this company, which has been making electric forklifts since 1971 showed how it was using its expertise in the realm of electric power to provide components to convert petrol or diesel vehicles to electric power.
Working in conjunction with Germany's market leader in the electric vehicle sector, Karabag, Linde provides the motors which are fitted to a range of vehicles going from the Fiat 500 passenger car to the Rotrac E2 which runs on train rails and can tow loads of up to 250 tons. Linde has even developed an electric racing kart that set a world record last year by accelerating from 0-100km/h in just 3.45sec, which made it the fastest accelerating electric vehicle in the world.
In addition the Bertha Benz Memorial Challenge for vehicles powered by alternative technologies was staged again. The three-day event went from Frankfurt to Mannheim and was in memory of an 88km journey undertaken by Bertha Benz, wife of inventor Karl Benz, and her two sons in 1888.
