FRANKFURT, Germany — At the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show General Motors unveiled the Opel Flextreme, a sporty concept with a plug-in diesel hybrid powertrain that appears to be Europe's answer to the Chevrolet Volt.
The Flextreme employs the same E-Flex propulsion architecture as the Volt, but with a unique twist in that it uses a small turbodiesel engine to generate power to recharge the lithium-ion battery pack.
GM says the Flextreme can run 34 miles on pure electric power, and can be charged from household outlets. With the battery pack and diesel generator, it has an operating range of 444 miles. The car's CO2 emissions are ultralow, too — only 40 g/km (64.4 g/mile) on the European test cycle.
In the Flextreme, the 1.3-liter diesel is not connected to the wheels; it is used solely to generate electricity and extend the vehicle's operating range. It has a special closed-loop system designed to further reduce exhaust emissions.
Charging time on a standard European household current is about three hours.
"We see E-Flex vehicles as an elegant solution for (European) commuters," observed GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz.
The E-Flex architecture used in the Flextreme and the Volt can use a variety of power packs, including gasoline and bioethanol engines as well as hydrogen fuel cells. GM has said it expects to bring the technology to market in production vehicles by 2010 or shortly thereafter.
A Saturn version of this four-person coupe-like sedan will make its debut at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show.
What this means to you: With a small diesel generator unit and lithium-ion battery pack, the Flextreme provides a uniquely European alternative to the Volt.
The Flextreme employs the same E-Flex propulsion architecture as the Volt, but with a unique twist in that it uses a small turbodiesel engine to generate power to recharge the lithium-ion battery pack.
GM says the Flextreme can run 34 miles on pure electric power, and can be charged from household outlets. With the battery pack and diesel generator, it has an operating range of 444 miles. The car's CO2 emissions are ultralow, too — only 40 g/km (64.4 g/mile) on the European test cycle.
In the Flextreme, the 1.3-liter diesel is not connected to the wheels; it is used solely to generate electricity and extend the vehicle's operating range. It has a special closed-loop system designed to further reduce exhaust emissions.
Charging time on a standard European household current is about three hours.
"We see E-Flex vehicles as an elegant solution for (European) commuters," observed GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz.
The E-Flex architecture used in the Flextreme and the Volt can use a variety of power packs, including gasoline and bioethanol engines as well as hydrogen fuel cells. GM has said it expects to bring the technology to market in production vehicles by 2010 or shortly thereafter.
A Saturn version of this four-person coupe-like sedan will make its debut at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show.
What this means to you: With a small diesel generator unit and lithium-ion battery pack, the Flextreme provides a uniquely European alternative to the Volt.
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