By Andrew Liszewski
I had a chance to check out the Chevy Volt earlier this year at the Auto Show in Detroit and I’m glad to see that GM seems really gung-ho about their E-Flex platform. But in addition to the North American Volt the company plans to roll-out the new technology worldwide and the Opel Flextreme concept is what Europeans might someday be driving.
In addition to the 120 kW peak electric motor and 16 kWH lithium-ion battery pack the Flextreme also uses a 53kW diesel/biodiesel generator to recharge the battery on the road and extend the vehicle’s driving range. (The diesel generator is not connected to the drivetrain at all.) What’s particularly interesting about the Flextreme though is that it actually has an integrated compartment for carrying a couple of Segways for travelling in areas where cars aren’t allowed.
Relying only on its batteries the Opel Flextreme will have a range of about 34 miles on a single charge which is more than enough for the average European commuter but for longer trips using the biodiesel generator extends that range to about 444 miles.
[ EcoGeek – GM Integrates Segways into Concept Hybrid Opel Flextreme ]
