We Obsessively Cover the Green Scene…

The folks at Mercedes-Benz must have a guilty conscience when it comes to the SLS AMG supercar. Why else would the German automaker follow up the snarling V8-powered debut of the modern gullwing with the SLS AMG E-Cell, and now the SLS AMG Coupe Electric Drive? While the retina-searing E-Cell was a merely prototype, the vehicle you see here is a production version, and can be yours for a cool half a million bucks.

Mercedes-Benz says this electrified gullwing is the most powerful vehicle in the AMG stable. With four electric motors – one at each wheel – producing a combined 740 horsepower and 737 pound-feet of torque, the SLS Electric Drive can rocket to 62 miles per hour in just 3.9 seconds. For reference, the conventionally powered SLS AMG GT puts out 583 hp, but can do the 0-60 sprint in 3.6 seconds.

The all-electric SLS employs a KERS system that was developed with help from the Mercedes-AMG Formula One team. A specially designed wall box charging unit has been designed that allows a customer's home to possess the same three-hour quick charge capabilities as a public station. Without the wall box, the EV supercar charges in about 20 hours.

If you can afford the €416,500 ($537,930) entry fee, throwing down the extra dough for a wall box should not be an issue. Mercedes-Benz calls the SLS AMG Coupe Electric Drive "the most exclusive and dynamic way to drive an electric car." With the blue chrome finish, we would also add "eye-catching," to that description. See for yourself in the accompanying gallery.

Toyota may have given us the full spec-sheet on its revised Auris before the car made its official Parisian debut, but our first live look at the next-generation wagon nevertheless proves compelling. The longer, lower five-door looks the part of a better-handling hatchback – just the role that Toyota hopes the hybrid can play in the European market.

The Hybrid seen here is the second-generation gas-electric Auris, and it will be the top-level powertrain option for European buyers. Toyota expects that a full one-third of Auris buyers will select that Hybrid Synergy Drive model – the other two-thirds of buyers are expected to be evenly split between the diesel- and gasoline-powered versions of the car.

Have a closer look at the handsome 2013 Toyota Auris in our live gallery and scroll below for the official word from Toyota in both video and press release forms.

Lo and behold, folks: Hyundai has wowed the crowds in Paris with what it says is the world's first serial production hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. Honda may disagree, but the Korean automaker says its ix35 Fuel Cell vehicle will be made available for private and public lease by the end of 2012, making it the first commercially available vehicle running on hydrogen.

Production is slated to begin in December of 2012, and Hyundai plans to produce 1,000 ix35 Fuel Cell vehicles by 2015, after which mass production across the globe is planned. We'll see.

As with all vehicles powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, water vapor is the only thing exhausted out the tailpipe. Besides the lack of emissions and the sound of an internal combustion engine, Hyundai says its new alt-fuel crossover is indistinguishable from a regular gas-burning ix35 (better known in North America as the Hyundai Tucson).

With a range of up to 365 miles, this is one is a seemingly practical zero-emission machine. Powerful, though, it is not – Hyundai quotes a top speed of 100 miles per hour and a 0-62 mph run of 12.5 seconds. Read all about the ix35 Fuel Cell below, but not before checking out our high-res gallery of live shots above.

In addition to the seventh-generation production-ready Golf being shown here in Paris, Volkswagen is using the French expo to tout the great strides it has made with diesel efficiency, best represented here with the Golf BlueMotion Concept. The swan song of this oil-burning Golf? Seventy-three and a half miles per gallon.

At the heart of the Golf BlueMotion Concept is a 1.6-liter diesel inline four-cylinder engine good for 108 horsepower mated exclusively to a five-speed manual gearbox with extra long gear ratios. Volkswagen has also fitted this concept with ultra-low-rolling resistance tires, and like all new Golf models, fuel-saving start/stop is present on the BlueMotion.

Despite its name, this Golf BlueMotion certainly doesn't look like a concept, and Volkswagen has stated that the car will go into production (in Europe) next summer. Scroll down for the official press blast, and click through the high-res image gallery above to see the hella efficient Golf for yourself.

We recently drove the new 2013 Porsche Cayenne Diesel – the automaker's first oil-burning offering here in the States. But here in Paris, Porsche has pulled the wraps off of a more powerful version of the diesel Cayenne, and on paper, it sure looks sweet.

The meat and potatoes of the Cayenne S Diesel package is a twin-turbocharged 4.2-liter diesel V8 that produces 382 horsepower and 627(!) pound-feet of torque. Having that much grunt on tap means the all-wheel-drive Cayenne will shoot to 62 miles per hour in a scant 5.7 seconds, topping out at 157 mph. Even more remarkably, when you aren't driving with a lead foot, the S Diesel will return around 28 miles per gallon. Impressive stuff.

Porsche officials have told Autoblog that we won't be getting the Cayenne S Diesel here in the United States, meaning we'll have to make due with the 240-hp 3.0-liter oil-burner. Not that that's a bad thing. Scroll down for the official release.

Ssangyong has shown up at the 2012 Paris Motor Show with an extended-range hybrid version of its XIV 2 Coupe showcar. Called the e-XIV Concept, it pairs a 1.0-liter two-cylinder gasoline engine with a 107-horsepower electric motor and a 16-kWh lithium-ion battery to give the vehicle a theoretical total range of around 373 miles. The manufacturer claims the concept is capable of covering 50 miles in pure electric mode, and while it takes a full four hours to charge the battery pack, a 20-minute quick charge is also available. Borrowing from the extended-range hybrid concept playbook of 2005, the e-XIV features a 12-panel solar cell roof for running the vehicle's accessories.

Don't expect to see the e-XIV Concept cruising the streets of Beijing anytime soon. Like the XIV 2 Coupe and the XIV 1 B before it, the newest concept from this South Korean company was penned largely as an engineering and design exercise. Take a look at the full press release below for more information.

Nissan already has the Xterra, but from the looks of it, its new Paris Motor Show concept vehicle could be called the eTerra. In reality, Nissan's new off-road-ready, fuel cell concept is known simply as the Terra Concept, and while it sounds like there are no plans to build such a vehicle just yet, it doesn't hurt to dream.

The Terra Concept has a style that instantly reminds us of the Juke and of the 2009 Qazana concept utility that previewed it – but its tall stance shows that it means business on the trail. As an electric four-wheel-drive vehicle, the Terra uses three separate motors, with the front wheels being driven by the same system currently used in the Nissan Leaf and the rear wheels driven by two motors powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. The benefit of such a system means that in everyday driving, the front wheels can do most of the work, and when added traction is needed, the rear motors can kick in to power through whatever terrain it comes across.

In terms of the interior, the TeRRa Concept looks the part with a futuristic cabin, and having the motors independently mounted at the front and rear means that designers have been able to fit a flat load floor for improved cargo potential.

Nissan points out that hydrogen fuel cell stacks cost far less than they did just seven years ago, and it sounds like the only thing limiting Nissan from having a fuel-cell vehicle right now is the lack of a proper hydrogen fuel infrastructure. And even that might not be a limitation – we already know that Nissan is working on delivering a fuel-cell vehicle vehicle by 2015.

The best part of an electric fuel-cell off-road vehicle like the Terra Concept hints at is that, as a zero-emission vehicle, that sounds like the ultimate way to "Tread Lightly" to us.

Check out our live images of the Terra Concept on display in Paris, and scroll down for Nissan's official press release.

Honda has failed to set the world on fire with its seemingly sporty hybrid coupe, but it's not entirely for lack of effort. And for 2013, the Japanese automaker is refining its CR-Z with a host of updates designed to pin its dynamics a bit more on the side of sporty performance. And, as you can see above, it's now 100-percent more purpley than before.

First up is the drivetrain. The European-spec 2013 CR-Z features more power than last year, though its 1.5-liter engine and electric motor combo are just as clean and fuel efficient. A new engine computer and revised variable valve timing conspire to bump horsepower from 114 to 121. A lithium ion battery pack – a first for the CR-Z – and revised electric motor add another 20 horses, up from 114 in 2012.

Combined, Honda rates its 2013 CR-Z at 137 metric horsepower (a 13-horse boost) and 140 pound-feet of torque (up 16). The run to 60 mph drops 0.7 seconds to 9.0 flat, with top speed sitting at 124 miles per hour. To help the driver harness the extra horses, Honda has fitted the 2013 CR-Z with a new Plus Sport button on the steering wheel, and if the battery is at least 50-percent full, a push of the S+ button engages additional electric boost for up to ten seconds.

On the outside, the 2013 CR-Z is chiefly identifiable by its redesigned fascia, grille and headlamps with LED strips. At the rear, a new diffuser is a subtle update. Inside, Honda has switched up the fabrics and textures and has added LED lighting.

Fuel mileage stands pat at 56.4 miles per gallon on the European combined cycle; we'll have to wait for official U.S. figures from the EPA, which we ought to have before the 2013 CR-Z goes on sale in January. Check out our live gallery above and the official press release below.

Here's a shocker: Translogic's Bradley Hasemeyer test drove the Tesla Model S Performance version and apparently had a darn good time doing it.

While only available in the top-of-the-line version for now, the Model S will one day come in four packages – Base, Performance, Signature, and Signature Performance – ranging from about $50,000 to $100,000, after federal incentives. The Performance edition comes with an 85-kW lithium-ion battery and high-performance drive inverter that offers 416 horsepower at 5,000-to-8,600 rpm and 443 pound-feet of torque at 0-5,100 rpm. Hitting the accelerator pedal keeps the interior completely silent, and the only thing heard is Hasemeyer laughing as he watches the speedometer hit 60 miles per hour (starting from zero) in 4.4 seconds. You can see for yourself below, but here's what else is in the video.

Hasemeyer visited the Tesla factory in Fremont, CA, and got to ask questions of chief designer Franz Von Holzhausen. Von Holzhausen says the team created an architecture for the Model S that it calls the skateboard – the batteries and powertrain are between the wheels and below the centerline of the wheels. Everything above that line became an open opportunity to design and create a new electric vehicle. This means there's more space for seats and comfort in the Model S than in most other EVs. You don't have to cross over the battery pack hump when moving around inside the car, for example.

The display touch screen is something to behold. It's easy to view and toggle through to see your energy use, access the web and use the navigation screen and other apps. Above the wheel, drivers can customize the gauge clusters in front of them.

Like most performance style cars, there are a number of modes you can switch to. Hasemeyer changes steering from standard to sport, and describes how this is the option for when you want less play and a little more feel in the steering wheel.

Ted Merendino, product planner for Tesla Motors, explains why the company just released its own proprietary charger. The existing technologies – J1772 and others – didn't really offer the functionality that Tesla needed, he says. The Model S itself can accept everything from an average household plug all the way up the 90-kW DC charger, which it calls the Supercharger.

As we found when we drove the Model S, the EV sets new standards with no compromise and no emissions plus all the bells and whistles, Hasemeyer said. Looks like a consensus is forming.

We've seen the leaked photos and finally the web reveal before the Paris Motor Show, but now the BMW Concept Active Tourer is here, in all its diminutive, plug-in glory. BMW is billing its two-box Concept Active Tourer as a study in both design and powertrain.

With an upright driving position and Hofmeister kink at the D-pillar, the Concept Active Tourer evokes some design elements used in BMW's crossovers. The front end, however, is unmistakably influenced by the new 3 Series. At 171 inches, it's just an inch longer than the F20 1 Series, but it's also roughly five inches taller.

The Concept Active Tourer is motivated by BMW's eDrive system. It features a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine as part of a hybrid drivetrain, with its charge derived from a lithium-ion battery pack. Combined, the plug-in hybrid system makes 190 horsepower and 147 pound feet of torque. In a major break with BMW protocol, the Concept Active Tourer is front-wheel drive. BMW claims zero to 62 mph in under eight seconds and a top speed of 124 mph. Fuel economy is estimated at 2.5 liters per 100 kilometers, or roughly 94 miles per gallon on the European cycle.

The rumormill had a production (and likely non-hybrid) version of the Active Tourer wearing the 1 Series Gran Turismo nameplate, and there's still a chance that this compact tall wagon could wear that name in production form. There's no official word on if or when a roadgoing version will bow, but we aren't expecting it to come to North America anyhow. In the meantime, check out our gallery of the Active Tourer Concept before scrolling down to watch a video and read BMW's official verbiage.

Smart tells us that its new Forstars Concept is a Sports Utility Coupé. We're pretty sure that's a misnomer. After all, the electric powertrain, while supremely efficient, isn't a powerhouse. Plus, with room for just two occupants and a golf bag plus toiletries, utility doesn't really seem to be its forte either.

So, what is the Smart Forstars good for? Well, judging from our image gallery, it makes an excellent prop for impossibly cute auto show models to lean against. Plus, it's got a completely clear roof, which is how it got its name – you can stare at the stars... get it? Oh, and it also sports an integrated projector on its hood for impromptu drive-in movie nights.

Power comes from a 60-kW electric motor and 17.6-kWh lithium ion battery pack, and Smart claims a top speed of 80 miles per hour.

As you can see, the exterior, which reportedly previews the automaker's future design direction, is painted in a bright hue that Smart calls Alubeam Rouge, and the interior is finished in white, red and matching orange. Check out the nifty projector feature in the official video below and be sure to peruse the official press release while you're at it.

When we heard that Porsche would be bringing a Panamera wagon concept to Paris, reaction was just as scattered as people's reaction to the Panamera itself; some actually wondering if the Panamera isn't already a wagon, others deciding, to put it kindly, that the back end of Porsche's five-door can only go up, design-wise.

Then we saw leaked pics of the Panamera Sport Turismo Concept and it was a whole different world – one of decidedly confident beauty. Going all junior-Cayenne-with-attitude, the Sport Turismo is "an outlook on a possible Porsche sports car of tomorrow" that we think needs to drop the "possible," add some side mirrors and get with the production program.

Powered by an evolution of Porsche's current hybrid system used in the Panamera S Hybrid, the Sport Turismo Concept's new "e-hybrid" system uses the 333-horsepower, supercharged 3.0-liter V6 and a 95-hp electric motor for 416 combined horses and a 30-kilometer electric range. Unlike the current production system, this e-hybrid setup prioritizes all-electric motivation unless the driver instructs the car otherwise. Interestingly, the Sport Turismo is technically a plug-in hybrid, as the lithium-ion pack can be charged in as little as 2.5 hours when plugged into a wall outlet. Porsche says the combined powertrain is good for a 0-62 mph time in under six seconds, and the Sport Turismo can exceed 80 mph purely on electric power. (You can learn more powertrain specifics by checking out the official PR by scrolling down).

Inside is more conceptual, with a binnacle-mounted TFT screen displaying vehicle information, a black panel screen in the center console, monitors providing feeds from the cameras that substitute for sideview mirrors, and even a touchscreen starting process.

There's really nothing not to like here, and so we can find no reason not to build it. Porsche, you know what to do.

Wider and lower than it appears in the press photos, the Lexus LF-CC concept is an exceptionally crisp evolution of Lexus' L-Finesse design language – in fact, once away from the oversized spindle grille, just following the lines of the coupe leads one to think of origami. The coupe takes pointers from the LF-LC concept shown earlier this way and is said to show the way to the aesthetics we'll see on the next-generation IS. Details like the front end that appears to be mostly intake, those uncovered LED headlights, Baroque mirrors and taillights will almost certainly disappear into the good night, but the overall body shape coated in Fluid Titanium hue is sleek, well defined and ready for the road.

Inside is Lexus' next stage in touchscreen interiors, the Human Machine Interface this time broken into an upper "Display Zone" and a lower "Operation Zone." That latter area contains a "touch tracer display" behind the shift lever where the driver can alter his environment with a fingertip.

Underhood is a 2.5-liter, direct-injected four-cylinder engine paired with an electric motor, further assisted by a generator, the whole system tied to a brain that optimizes where power comes from and where it goes. We don't know how much of the rest of the car we'll see, but Lexus says this hybrid powertrain will come to a production vehicle. Scroll below to watch a pair of videos and see the press release for more information.

Zero Motorcycles is recalling 315 of its 2012 model year S and DS electric motorcycles to fix a problem that can cause their electronic motors to suddenly lose power. Affected bikes have motor encoder position signals that may drift, or change, over time, Zero Motorcycles stated in a document filed with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

If the signal drifts outside of certain parameters, riders can lose power unexpectedly when the motor controller shuts off. This loss of power increases the risk of a crash. Owners will be able to get their bikes reprogrammed free of charge and should contact Zero Motorcycles at 888-786-9376.

Zero Motorcycles has recalled bikes a couple of times in the past three years – due to bike throttles that stayed stuck in the wide open position and for a front brake caliper bracket replacement that could cause brake pad misalignment and reduced front brake performance in deformed brackets.

Zero is asking customers to pay more for these bikes than comparable gasoline-powered machines. Recalls may be expensive and annoying, but the price for ignoring these problems could much higher. Voluntary recalls and addressing these problems promptly is important if Zero wants to get back on track.