Munich Auto Show 2021 in pictures: The best EVs and concept cars of IAA Mobility

(Pocket-lint) - The IAA Mobility amusement has moved location for 2021, present hosted successful Munich, Germany, wherever assorted aboriginal electrical vehicles (EVs) and conception cars were revealed astatine the show.

That's right: a existent in-person lawsuit with existent cars to look astatine connected the amusement floor. Well, floors plural - the amusement is dispersed astir Munich, with galore manufacturers inactive opting for digital-first reveals alternatively than prioritising in-the-metal presentations first. 

IAA 2021 mightiness not person been rather arsenic large a showcase arsenic immoderate years of Frankfurt past, but arsenic our best-of database beneath reveals, automotive manufacturers are going large connected the normalcy of EVs, portion dabbling successful immoderate much out-there concepts too.

Best of IAA Mobility 2021: Top EVs & concepts successful pictures

BMW one Vision Circular concept

Its 'Circular' sanction is much than a motion to the connection this car is each about: circular economy. Apparently 100 per cent of its materials are from recycled sources.

To look astatine you mightiness deliberation of this one Vision conception arsenic a kind-of reimagined mentation of the BMW i3. The Circular is larger than that now-discontinued EV, of course, with a four-seat setup.

This imaginativeness of a afloat electrical aboriginal is slated for the twelvemonth 2040, apparently, truthful there's nary accidental of seeing this connected the roads immoderate clip soon.

Polestar Precept concept

Polestar's Precept conception was owed to look astatine Geneva 2020, but aft that amusement was cancelled it's lone been shown disconnected a fistful of times.

At IAA - connected Polestar's basal successful cardinal Munich distant from the Messe halls which prevarication eastbound of the metropolis - the car stands pridefulness of place.

Although a concept, this is simply a glimpse of Polestar's aboriginal vision: high-end, elegant, all-electric, with sustainability beforehand of mind, it's the benignant of car that'll springiness the Audi e-tron GT a tally for its wealth successful the future.

Smart Concept 1

Smart has truly deed the reset fastener with its Concept #1 - a overmuch larger and much bling imaginativeness of its earlier emblematic metropolis cars - which is nary astonishment arsenic it's present owned by Geely, with Mercedes continuing to beryllium successful complaint of design.

The Smart's underpinnings are that of the Merc EQA, but its ocular aesthetic is thing but the same: the interior, dripping with roseate golden connected conscionable astir each accent, is surely designed to drawback you.

It's a striking rethink for the brand: and apt a needed one, fixed however its planetary income person slumped successful caller years.

A road-worth mentation (with assorted tweaks, nary doubt) is expected to get from 2023, though, truthful it's not rather arsenic afloat 'Concept' arsenic the sanction suggests.

Audi Grandsphere concept

Audi continues to physique connected its plan connection rather dissimilar immoderate of its German rivals, with a subtler improvement of benignant than the likes of BMW.

The Audi Grandsphere conception - which is efficaciously a tease of a aboriginal all-electric A8 - is simply a luxury saloon with heaps of interior space. Ideal for carting astir high-end clientele.

Dare we accidental it, there's an aerial of Aston Martin astir the Grandsphere concept. Which is the highest of compliments, really.

Expect the coming years to amusement this concept's improvement into an all-singing, all-dancing A8. Maybe for 2025? Although thing is acceptable successful chromatic arsenic yet.

Mercedes EQG Concept

One of our favourites from the show, the EQG takes the classical G-Class wagon and delivers it successful all-electric style. It's a conception car, but lone by a whisker - arsenic we expect the last accumulation EQG to beryllium mostly similar.

Visually speaking the electrified G-Class retains the tall, rugged look, but without a combustion motor nether the hood its gone with an altogether much delicate beforehand extremity - the light-up grille and robot-like rounded headlights chopped a distinctive figure.

Renault Megane E-Tech

If there's a car from the amusement to correspond the homogenisation of EVs, it's the Megane E-Tech.

Renault's all-electric seemingly cherry-picks each the large and bully of the EV car satellite close now: there's SUV styling and on-board tech that, with Google integrated, is mightly akin to what you'll find successful a Polestar 2.

It's not 1 for particularly long-distance runs, though, with either 40kWh oregon 60kWh artillery battalion options delivering 186 miles and 292 miles respectively (WLTP figures).

Ideal arsenic a metropolis runabout oregon commuter conveyance though, and with competitory pricing apt (TBC) this could beryllium a fashionable enactment erstwhile it's connected merchantability successful 2022.

VW ID.5 GTX

The rainbow paintjob is determination to semi disguise the ID5's existent signifier - though a speedy glimpse astir it reveals a dropped roofline, giving this all-electric exemplary a sportier stance than the existent ID4 - successful what Volkswagen calls its "SUV Coupe".

The ID5 volition beryllium the much performance-focused EV successful the ID line-up, and portion nary last spec has been revealed conscionable yet, it's said to beryllium bully for implicit 300 miles of range. Sounds similar a desirable premix of show and practicality is connected the cards here.

Mercedes EQE

The archetypal uncover of the EQE shows disconnected the all-electric E-Class, which sits beneath the EQS successful Merc's scope - offering up a somewhat shorter, much compact and elegant saloon.

There's plentifulness of item astir this one, too, arsenic its mid-2022 accumulation day volition spot it connected the roadworthy by 2023.

It'll travel with a 91kWhr artillery and 215kW rear-mounted motor, delivering 288bhp - said to beryllium bully for 410 miles (WLTP figure). There volition besides beryllium a 4Matic all-wheel thrust version.

Cupra UrbanRebel concept

This chaotic small racer is simply a imaginativeness of an all-electric blistery hatch. Racing seats and harness belts successful tow, outlandish wheels, and an aggy-looking benignant that's dissimilar thing other we've seen from immoderate EV prior.

With the aboriginal accelerating towards electric, this 1 fits a spread that nary others person yet looked toward. It's speedy, too, with a 0-62mph clip of 3.2 seconds from its 335bhp-capable motor.

Just a conception astatine this stage, the UrbanRebel is simply a preview for a accumulation car that's slated for the roads travel 2025.

Mini Vision Urbanaut

Lockdowns successful 2020 held Mini's Vision Urbanaut conception from being shown-off successful afloat erstwhile it was announced past November.

IAA 2021 was the cleanable level to gaffe the 'space-age driving lounge concept' - that's what we called it connected archetypal show - onto BMW's stage, tucked conscionable retired of reach, but showing disconnected the driverless apartment-like conception successful a much believable way.

It's surely a alteration of gait for Mini's emblematic go-kart-like cars, but a refreshing spot of amusive nonetheless.

BMW iX5 Hydrogen

The captious item present is the 'Hydrogen' portion of the iX5's name. This is an FCEV - that being a substance compartment electrical conveyance - which won't ever spot a plug similar an EV proper, arsenic it alternatively uses hydrogen fuel.

Hydrogen is backed by a fig of manufacturers - Toyota's second-gen Mirai went connected merchantability successful the UK earlier this year, for illustration - but the infrastructure is restrictive astatine present.

That said, fixed immoderate investment, we deliberation FCEVs are a much logical solution than plug-in EVs. So it's large to spot BMW is continuing to backmost this option.

Hyundai Robotaxi

Yes, it's an Ioniq 5. Except, it's not: accidental hullo to Hyundai's Robotaxi, a level 4 autonomous conveyance that's designed to beryllium driverless.

Hyundai says its celebrating its driverless aspirations by "displaying our suite of sensors prominently" - arsenic you tin spot from the bluish airy atop the car, and assorted projecting and highlighted sensors to the broadside and rear.

Various authorities volition mean the Robotaxi mightiness not beryllium connected galore roads arsenic soon arsenic Hyundai volition want, but arsenic yet different propulsion towards an automated future, it's amusive to spot different car-maker's instrumentality connected the market.

Renault 5 EV prototype

Ok, truthful it's not new new, but however could we not see the Renault 5 EV prototype successful this round-up? It's got looks that'll marque immoderate 30-something get each nostalgic and giddy.

We fishy it'll beryllium a large occurrence too: you lone request to look astatine rivals, specified arsenic the Honda e, to spot there's an expanding appreciation for metropolis runabout EVs with a large absorption connected distinctive benignant and tech.

We deliberation it's a ace adaptation of a classical look, brought each up to day successful a precise refreshing mode indeed.

Mercedes EQB

The EQB mightiness not person the ocular slap of the EQG conception - arsenic shown further up the leafage - but Mercedes showed it was astatine IAA 2021 to triumph successful presumption of sheer volume: nary different institution showed-off this galore caller axenic EVs.

The EQB is simply a compact SUV that you tin adjacent equip with a 3rd enactment of seats, truthful perfect for aspiring families looking for the all-electric enactment and ample abstraction (although the 3rd enactment won't beryllium particularly roomy!).

It'll motorboat with a 67kWhr artillery initially, truthful it's not the astir capacious retired there, but a long-range mentation is owed successful the aboriginal if agelong journeys (and a deeper wallet) are a requirement.

Volkswagen ID Life

We've kept this 1 until past because, well, Volkswagen decided to seal disconnected its basal astatine the Messe connected the Tuesday and truthful our distant, rope-obscured photograph is not the astir revealing.

That said, the VW ID Life, arsenic it's presently called successful this conception form, is simply a truly important car for the German marque: it'll alteration into the ID2 (or possibly ID1) successful the all-electric scope successful the future, acting arsenic the smaller SUV crossover that underpins the larger ID3, ID4 and incoming ID5 options.

The smaller stature and (unlikely to marque it to accumulation line) integer headlights springiness it a existent consciousness of distinction, though, arsenic thing rather abstracted to the different much 'sloping' roofline plan you'll spot successful the ID range.

How antithetic it'll beryllium travel its expected 2025 launch, however, we'll person to hold and see...

Writing by Mike Lowe. Originally published connected 7 September 2021.