A conceptual study that demonstrates how General Motors' extended-range electric vehicle (E-REV) technology can be utilized in larger and more stylish cars than the Chevy Volt and its European twin, the Opel Ampera, will be the star of the German brand's stand at next month's Geneva Motor Show.
"The Flextreme GT/E concept shows the shape of things to come from Opel," says Frank Weber, Vice President, Corporate and Product Planning. "Bold, expressive and highly efficient, it represents the product strategy we will apply to all our future vehicles, large and small, across all market segments."
Described by Opel as a 'five-door coupe', the 4.7-meter (185-in.) long Flextreme GT/E concept that adopts the new Meriva's rear-hinged rear doors also illustrates a further development of the firm's current design language as seen on the Insignia, Astra and Meriva.
>But there's more than meets the eye about the concept model's design as the car achieves a projected drag co-efficient of just 0.22 helping it reach a 200 km/h-plus top speed as well as conserve energy and extend its driving range.
Stand-out features include a pair of retractable spoilers hidden behind each rear wheel-arch that extend out 350-mm at speeds over 50 km/h or 31mph to guide high-speed airflow around the rear corners of the car, further reducing the amount of turbulence.
Other highlights include the hidden door handles that are replaced by light sensors and the specially designed 21-inch alloy wheels fitted with relatively narrow 195/45, low rolling resistance tires.
Drive for the Flextreme GT/E concept comes from the Chevy Volt's powertrain that uses a an electric motor with 120kW / 160HP and 370Nm of torque to move the front wheels.
For journeys up to 60 km or about 37 miles, energy is supplied by a T-shaped lithium-ion battery pack located under the floor and rear seat.
Once the battery is depleted, a 1.4-liter gasoline engine / generator kicks in to supply electricity. In this mode, the driving range is extended to more than 500 km or 311 miles, until the plug-in battery pack can be recharged or the car is refueled.
Opel projects that the average fuel consumption of is estimated at 1.6 l/100 km, with CO2 emissions of less than 40 g/km, while the company supports that the study can go from zero to 100km/h (62mph) in less than nine seconds and achieve a top speed in excess of 200km/h or 124 mph.
