The message at this year’s Frankfurt Auto Show was simple: it’s as good a time to enjoy driving as it is to care about the environment. Carmakers from budding Fisker to established Audi had a slew of future-minded technology on display. While Germany hasn’t been the biggest proponent of hybrids and EVs in the past, the land o’ lederhosen put diesel on the back burner to prove it can do electric just as well as Japan and the United States. Most of the concepts on display aren’t likely to make it to production anytime soon, but the technologies themselves shown under the lights will trickle into vehicles on showroom floors within a few short years. In the mean time, check out the drool-worthy metal straight from Frankfurt.

1. Audi e-Tron

The brand with four rings pulled the sheets off an all-electric version of the R8, called the e-Tron, which uses an electric motor to power each wheel, for a total of four. This means the e-Tron is technically equipped with quattro all-wheel drive, and while horsepower sits at a respectable 313, hold on to your hats for the torque figure: output is a baffling 3,319 lb-ft at 0 rpm. The company claims 60 mph will blast by in less than 4.8 seconds and range will be around 154 miles. Audi says charging the e-Tron from dead will take six to eight hours on a European 230-volt outlet, though a quick-charging station may cut the time down to less than three hours. While you might think the e-Tron an unlikely future car, Audi says there will be hundreds on the road by 2012.

2. Fisker Karma Sunset

Fisker was on hand in Frankfurt with its Karma Sunset – the convertible version of the extended-range EV Karma. Though the car made its official debut at the Detroit Auto Show in January, the Karma Sunset didn’t have any problem drawing a crowd in Germany. According to Fisker, the Sunset is the world’s first convertible EV with a retractable hard top. A lofty 403 horsepower comes courtesy of two electric motors and helps this topless electric get to 60 mph in around 5.8 seconds. The car can operate on electric-only power for around 50 miles before an onboard gasoline engine recharges the power. Expect to pay just south of $90,000 if you want one.

3. Lexus LF-Ch

Don’t think small hatchbacks can be sporty? Take a look at the hybrid Lexus showed off in Frankfurt. Luxury carmakers have a long history of success in the high-end compact segment in Europe, where drivers don’t necessarily require 12 acres of leather and five cupholders per person. Specs on the LF-Ch are scarce, other than the fact that this mean-looking hatchback will be front-wheel drive and will likely carry the same drivetrain as the HS 250h. Odds are Lexus may have a few performance/efficiency surprises up its sleeve, though. Lexus says our European cousins might be treated to the new hybrid hatchback as soon as the end of 2010.

4. BMW Vision EfficientDynamics

BMW took some serious design liberties with its Vision EfficientDynamics Concept, but that didn’t stop the car from helping the company net the honor of Greenest Carmaker from Forbes. Green the Vision EfficientDynamics is indeed. The concept gets its grunt from a 1.5-liter turbo-diesel engine and two electric motors, good for a combined 351 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque. Needless to say, all that power is good for numbers just shy of the mighty M3 in the performance department, all the while bringing home fuel economy of 62.6 mpg. Don’t keep your fingers crossed for a production version of the Vision any time soon, though BMW will almost definitely cannibalize the tech for other projects.

5. Tesla Model S

Not to be outdone by rival Fisker, Tesla was on hand to show off its most recent motoring solution. The company’s first foray into sedan territory, the Model S is available with your choice of one of three battery packs. When fitted with the highest capacity cells, the Model S has a range of 300 miles and can carry seven people – five adults and two children. Recharging takes four hours courtesy of a 220v outlet, though a 440v system is also available. Tesla says its new sedan will hit buyers for less than $40,000 once all government incentives are accounted for, but sticker price sits at around $50,000. But like all things Tesla, we’ll believe any of those claims when we see them.

6. Marussia B1 Hybrid

When it comes to cutting-edge sports cars, Russia is probably not the first country to come to mind. Marussia has been cranking out the B1 for a while now, and brought along the next generation B2 to show off at Frankfurt. As exciting as all that low-slung sexiness is, the company also showed off a new hybrid version of the first-gen B1. The distinct lack of details on the car’s drivetrain makes us believe this one’s more fantasy than reality, but whispers of a Nissan-sourced V6 engine and a pair of electric motors make us hope to see more of this Russian supercar in the future.

7. Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Hybrid

Mercedes-Benz made a big splash with the resurrected 300 SL Gullwing; dubbed the SLS AMG. Though the car packs a far-from green 6.2-liter V12 engine, the Silver Arrow did raise more than a few eyebrows with the mention of a hybrid version in the works. That means we could see a little Audi e-Tron v. SLS Hybrid action in the somewhat near future. The execs at Mercedes-Benz kept their secrets to themselves when it came to exactly what would be behind the electric version of the company’s newest supercar, so your guess is as good as ours when it comes to drivetrain options. If we had to throw one out into the foggy unknown, it wouldn’t surprise us if bits get swiped from the new S500 hybrid also debuted at Frankfurt this year.