Green vehicles line up for Geneva motor show

The Geneva motor show will feature a selection of green vehicles, in addition to the splendid sheetmetal from the automakers, at the Green Pavilion outside of the main entrance.

Guest will be able to check out the stuff we've heard of--the Chevrolet Volt, the Opel Ampera, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV--and some stuff that even we've never seen, such as the ZeroTracer, the EVC-S5 and the Solo Wheel. This will be the fourth year that the Geneva show has made space for the greenies.

It began with start-ups showing off their personal-mobility-vehicle concepts. Now the display has grown to accommodate major manufacturers that show everything from production cars to far-off future concepts. The Green Pavilion will open an hour before the show and will include a bistro with snacks and drinks.

More than 20 exhibitors will show their vehicles.

-- Mercedes-Benz will display the Vito E-Cell.

-- Renault has the ZOE and the Volteis by Stark.

-- Belumbury, a new exhibitor from Italy, will present the Dany.

-- The large center stand will be devoted to Department of Yvelines in France. It will show three vehicles named the Neoma, the Titler and the Moduleo.

-- Under the EVC brand, visitors will see the ZeroTracer, a futuristic motorcycle, as well as the Solo Wheel.

-- Nokia will demonstrate how ecology can be applied to technology with a hybrid street light and an ecological navigation system.

-- For production or near production, Mitsubishi will have the i-MiEV, Opel will have the Ampera and Nissan will display the Leaf.

Next to the Green Pavilion, a dozen automakers will make more than 30 vehicles available to be tested and compared. Depending on the vehicle, guests will either be able to ride on a closed course or out on the open road. Reservations can be made to drive at the main show stands of the carmakers.

The vehicles being tested include the Renault Fluence Z.E. and the Twizy, the Citro?n C-Zero, the Bluecar from Bollore, the Ford Transit Connect Electric and many more.

The Geneva motor show is open to the public March 8-18.

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Gibbs launches new high-speed amphibian vehicles

Gibbs Amphibians
The Phibian is a 30-foot-long, nearly 12-foot-tall craft capable of highway speeds on land and more than 30 mph (26 knots) in the water.

Michigan-based Gibbs Technologies has released two new high-speed, commercial-grade amphibian vehicles, named the Phibian and the Humdinga.

The Phibian is a 30-foot-long, nearly 12-foot-tall craft capable of highway speeds on land and more than 30 mph (26 knots) in the water. Constructed mainly of carbon fiber, the Phibian can hold up to 15 people, including a crew of three.

Designed for first-responder and rescue operations, the Phibian can go from the road to the water in less than 10 seconds with the push of a button. A twin-turbocharged diesel engine puts 500 hp to the ground through selectable four-wheel drive and twin jet drives in the water.

The smaller Humdinga, at 21 feet long, holds five to seven occupants for light-duty patrol and rapid-response situations. It has a supercharged V8 making 350 hp.

Both vehicles have the company's proprietary High Speed Amphibian technology, which involves suspension, water-propulsion and wheel-retraction design to aid with the transition from land to sea.

If commercial use isn't your preference, Gibbs also offers the Aquada, a three-seat convertible vehicle, and the Quadski, a personal sports amphibian.