E-car concepts set to steal the show in Paris

General Motors' German brand Opel's first attempt on the electric arena - with its e-car Ampera - was a major flop. Now, the firm wants to start afresh in Paris by unveiling its Ampera-e electric car. Opel seeks to score by touting the new car's range. If it really has a range of 400 kilometers (248 miles) as reported, it would be a selling point.

BMW has also fully understood the importance of range. The luxury carmaker's latest version of the i3 model (shown in the picture) has a range of 300 kilometers, an improvement from the current limit of 190 kilometers. These are of course ideal values, without lighting, radio, heating or air conditioning. BMW is also showcasing its new model X2 car.

Scandal-plagued German carmaker Volkswagen is sparing no effort to electrify at the Paris Motor Show. Germany's biggest carmaker has unveiled its i.D concept car - a fully electric, always-online vehicle, with a range of at least 400 kilometers (248 miles) on a single charge.

Porsche is presenting the Panamera 4 model, equipped with a 550-horsepower, V8 biturbo engine. People worried about their carbon footprint while driving, can opt for the e-hybrid version of the car. The electric hybrid will have 462-horsepower capacity, translating into a speed range of about 278 kilometers per hour.

Daimler's passenger car subsidiary Mercedes-Benz Cars is also showcasing an e-car, the electric version of its Smart model. Furthermore, the company would like to present a concept for an all-electric car with a range of 500 kilometers. And there will also be the AMG GT C Roadster model, offered without a plug-in.

It's clear that the French will slog hard at the Mondial de l'Automobile Paris 2016. Citroën, for example, is presenting the stunning concept car CXPerience, which is replete with all that's possible today. Still, it is also somewhat reminiscent of the good old days of the Citroën DS, also known as "The Goddess."

At least, public relations strategists say that with regard to the Peugeot 5008 model. The SUV's overall length of 4.64 meters is roughly in line with other models, but it still has a lot of space inside and an innovative driver display, named the i-Cockpit.

It was only a matter of time before the VW subsidiary Skoda brought an SUV on to the already highly competitive market. After the Geneva Motor Show saw the likes of VisionS and Showcar at the beginning of the year, it's now time for Skoda's Kodiaq at the Paris Motor Show.

VW's subsidiary Bentley would also have liked to be in Paris and present its new Flying Spur W12 S model. But as VW has had to cut its costs and save money, as a consequence of the dieselgate scandal, Bentley representatives have had to stay put. Lamborghini is also not presenting any of its models at the show.

If Lamborghini doesn't show up, then friends of rocket-shaped vehicles will have to make do with Ferrari. The carmaker's engineers have once again done an excellent job: Under the hood of the Aperta model, they installed an 800-horsepower, V12 engine. They also installed an electric engine, which gives the engine a total 963-horsepower capacity.

Just as Opel's (see the first picture in the gallery), Toyota's photographers have also presented the pictures of the company's new C-HR model against a Parisian backdrop. In a typical fashion for Toyota, the car comes equipped with a hybrid plug-in. Auto industry watchers also look forward to the firm's fuel cell concept model FCV Plus at Paris.