MERCEDES-BENZ have become the first manufacturers to officially announce the demise of the internal combustion engine.

Benz boss Dieter Zetsche told the Frankfurt Motor Show that, by 2020, the company’s smart car range – the small city runabout – would be available only as an electric vehicle in Europe and the USA.

Zetsche said: “Smart will be switched completely to an electric vehicle by 2020 in Europe and the USA. The whole range will be completely powered by electricity.”

Mercedes become the first manufacturers to get rid of a whole line-up of fossil-fuelled vehicles in favour of electricity in a move that signals the way forward for the motoring industry.

Citroen C3 Aircross

Other manufacturers have gone down the hybrid route or simply added hybrid or electric vehicles to an existing range but none of them, so far, have dumped the internal combustion engine so completely.

Zetsche’s announcement almost overshadowed the company’s unveiling of their not-so-secret Project One, the Mercedes Hypercar, save for one thing.

When the car drove on to the stand, the door opened and Lewis Hamilton got out fresh from his latest victory at the Italian Grand Prix and now sitting at number one in the Formula One drivers’ standings, with Mercedes-Benz topping the constructors’ table ahead of Ferrari.

New Ford Mustang

Project One is an AMG petrol/electric plug-in hybrid producing 1000hp and powered by four electric motors to deliver a top speed of 218mph, developed from the company’s F1 success. The company also announced their EQ range, which will introduce alternatively fuelled cars into every line-up.

It was the same story at BMW, where a track around the stand allowed the company to show off an entire range of electrified vehicles from the i3 through the motorbikes to saloons and coupes, and including the MINI.

Indeed, if there was one theme at this show, it was the future – and, not surprisingly, it’s electric.

Manufacturers have heeded the messages whistling in government winds and have stepped up to the plate.

Volkswagen pledged their soul to electric vehicles and had on show the ID, the ID Buzz and the ID Crozz II – an electric crossover.

Honda displayed for the first time their cute Urban EV Concept and Toyota took the covers off the C-HR Hy-power concept, which responds to customer demands for more power in hybrids.

Next door, the new Lexus LS was on show, a beautiful, sexy hybrid for the UK.

New Bugatti Chiron

At the Jaguar Land Rover press conference, boss Dr Ralf Speth confirmed that both the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport will be available later this year as plug-in hybrids and Jaguar would be sponsoring the I-PACE eTROPHY, a race for production-based electric cars that will take place across the world at the same time as the current FIA Formula E championships.

The message coming out of Frankfurt was that we are all going electric and everyone is jumping on the bandwagon.

For those who despair at the idea, they can take heart that the cars that many people were climbing over at Frankfurt included the new Toyota Land Cruiser, the SsangYong Rexton, the big Range Rovers, the new X-Class pick-up at Mercedes, despite their electric leanings, and the Ford Ranger Black Edition.

Elsewhere, SUVs abounded, reminding us that this is still the most buoyant sector of the car industry in Europe.

The Audi Elaine concept car

There was the lovely Citroen C3 Aircross, a treat for the eyes, the SEAT Arona, the Skoda Karoq and even a lovely little Kia SUV, the Picanto X-Line.

Ferrari unveiled their beautiful new Portofino to acclaim and an enthusiastic and adoring crowd. It was the same story at Lamborghini with the new Aventador.

They may have pushed their electric cars but BMW’s new Z4 was stunning and then there was the Ford Mustang, Renault’s Symbioz and the beautiful Kia Proceed Concept station wagon. You will never look at estate cars in the same way again.

Frankfurt proved that, in the face of all odds, the motoring industry will find a way to succeed.