The International Geneva Motor Show has been showing off the best in new green car technology.

While the majority of car enthusiasts attended the International Geneva Motor Show to admire the latest luxury models to roll off the production line, there were also a lot of environmentally friendly cars on show.

With a green future predicted for the automotive industry the car convention showed off the new cars which may make a difference to the motoring industry in the medium term future.

Below is a list of the ten cars which are tipped to be the greenest on the road and which automobile companies hope will dominate the green markets in the upcoming 12 months.

The hybrid Citroen Metropolis is tenth placed on the green car list and has been described as a French variation of Daimler’s Maybach model. Originally introduced at last year’s Shanghai Motor Show, Citroen’s most energy efficient vehicle shares the characteristics of the C6 design.

Citroen’s Metropolis has a hybrid powertrain featuring a two litre V6 petrol engine which generates 272 brake horsepower and a 95 brake horsepower electric motor. This allows the car to emit zero emissions at low speeds. When the hybrid is in use the car is at its most powerful, meaning it can develop 460 brake horsepower.

Ninth on the list is the Honda EV Concept which was unveiled originally at the LA Motor Show. The hatchback vehicle has a driving range of 100 miles before it needs recharging and formed part of a general Honda display which was shown off in Geneva. While it could be a proto-type car, it is hoped that a model based on similar design will be available for sale in 2012.

Developed from the Honda CR-Z, the EV Concept has a three-mode electric driving system and offers several alternate instructional devices which inform the motorist of the best time to charge up the battery systems. Two electric motors and one gas platform have been factored into the car’s design to encourage drivers to use the car in its electric format for shorter distances and the gas option for long distance journeys.

One of Switzerland’s very own motoring sons showed off his design at the International Geneva Motor Show as Frank M. Rinderknecht’s Rinspeed BamBoo made its debut. The four-seater car is made from bamboo fibres and is powered by an electric powertrain.

The car’s unusualness increases thanks to a two wheeled bike which is also fitted to the vehicle. New York pop artist James Rizzi helped to design the car and its pastel coloured scheme exudes the sense of summer. It is just as well then that this is one of the few automobiles that can be driven along the beach.

Arriving in seventh place is the Mazda Minagi with its new state of the art SKYACTIV green technological advances. Sky-G petrol engines and Sky-D diesel engines combine to produce the hybrid which is meant to reduce any friction that the car experiences. The car is being touted as a hybrid crossover for the family car market.

While the car’s body looks very similar to any other Mazda, it has shaved weight off its exterior to make a lighter and slightly more aero-dynamic chassis and body. The car’s KODO design theme is part of a new direction which the motor company is looking to explore. While the newer technology took the headlines, the car firm have promised that the car’s safety has not been compromised.

Rolls-Royce Phantom’s 102EX is the only luxury car on the green car list and cruises into sixth place. It is an all electric car and is part of a larger vision from parent firm BMW. In tandem with BMW’s decision to try and engineer environmentally friendly BMWs for the London 2012 Olympic Games, Rolls-Royce have opted to join the bandwagon and release an all electric luxury vehicle.

The limousine costs 2p per mile to run and can reach a top speed of 100 miles per hour before it needs recharging. The model comes complete with the charger and can travel as far 125 miles before it needs to recharge. Recharging can take between eight hours and 22 hours depending on type of charger used.

Land Rover‘s Range E is in the top five of energy saving cars and offers 89g/km. It is a hybrid which can be powered by an electric motor as well as a three litre TDV6 diesel engine which can reach speeds of 120 miles per hour.

When the electric motor is used the SUV is able to travel over 20 miles when fully charged, compared with a total of 690 miles when the diesel engine is used. To ensure the Land Rover is fully charged it has to be plugged in for four hours.

Claiming fourth spot in the list of the greenest cars available for the road is the Smart Forspeed. The roofless two seater vehicle has an electric engine which means it produces zero emissions when it is driven. The car can reach speeds of up to 75 miles per hour and requires charging for three quarters of an hour to complete up to 60 miles of driving, although its maximum range is 84 miles.

The Forspeed is faster than any other Smart model and can last longer before it requires recharging but comes with one slight issue; the car is not going to be used as a production model – it is only being used as a reference point for the firm’s future direction.

Volvo’s commitment to new green technology sees the Swedish based firm climb to third spot in the list. Its V60 plug in hybrid diesel engine is further down the manufacturing line than other vehicles and firms are, with this model almost ‘production ready’ according to Volvo. The firm hope that the first batch of V60 hybrid cars will roll off the production line next year.

The car has three driving modes, allowing the motorist to choose if they want to use the diesel option, the hybrid possibility or the all electric route. It is thought that the vehicle’s emissions are less than 50g/km, meaning that it will be one of the greenest cars on the market should the firm prove true in its promise that it will emerge from the production line next year.

Toyota‘s iQ Electric vehicle is second in the list. The all electric car is an advanced version of the current iQ, which itself is a vehicle that has low emissions and is one of the most fuel efficient cars around. The car is powered by an 11kWh 270V lithium-ion battery which is located where the fuel tank would normally be.

The battery allows the car to travel from 0-62 miles per hour in 14 seconds and has a top speed of 78 miles per hour. When the car is fully charged it can travel as far as 65 miles before it runs down. A full battery charge will take approximately four hours, whilst a charging time of fifteen minutes from a specialised DC charging station will see the car’s battery charge to 80%.

Top of the list for the greenest car at the Geneva International Motor Show was the Nissan Esflow. The Esflow is a sporty model which is powered by two electric motors. The car can reach 60 miles per hour in just five seconds. The rear-drive two-seater is reputedly able to reach a range of 150 miles when fully charged.

The batteries which charge the car are distributed across the body for equal balance whilst inside the car suede and leather are prominent. This means that while it is the greenest car at the International Geneva Motor Show, it is unlikely to find favour with PETA members. Despite this its green credentials are remarkable, which is why it is top of the poll.