VW are set to showcase their eco-conscious approach to vehicles at the Detroit Auto Show in the form of a Jetta Hybrid, something that we may well have seen earlier today shrouded in a silver sheet, and an EV Concept based on the Beetle called the E-Bugster. The Jetta Hybrid is a production car and one we expect to see on the streets soon. It combines a 1.4-liter turbocharged gasoline engine with a 27-kW electric motor.

Peak output is rated at 170hp, fuel economy is estimated at 45mpg and a 0-60mph sprint time of less than nine seconds is claimed. Apart from featuring a class-leading 7-speed DSG, the car also benefits from regenerative braking. The engine decouples from the drivetrain when running on electric power and when the driver lifts from the throttle prior to braking. When the car stops the engine shuts down and when driving recommences, the electric motor takes over. The E-Bugster EV is essentially a study for the time being, and sits almost three inches lower than the third-generation Beetle.

Notable features include a flatter roof and even shallower windows, a modified bumper, five-spoke wheels, rear spoiler and an absence of rear side windows. VW has dubbed the electric powertrain for the E-Bugster "Blue-e-motion," which it intends to use in future products such as a Golf Blue-e-motion. An output of 114hp and 199lb-ft of torque is generated by the electric motor that is powered by a 695-lb lithium-ion battery pack sitting in the rear of the car. A driving range of just under 100 miles is quoted, and a quick charge of 80% in 30 minutes is possible.