Now that British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has pledged some £90 million for the development of clean vehicles in the U.K., General Motors is seeing plenty to like about the European market for its E-Flex vehicles. The automaker has already reversed its stance on building the electric cars in America and shipping them overseas, with the Ellesmere Port plant now being considered for Opel and Vauxhall EVs. Just how many electric cars could GM sell in Europe? According to Bob Lutz, plenty. In fact, GM believes it could move as many as 30,000 units in the first year of availability, with the worldwide figure of one million by 2020.

While those sales targets are pretty ambitious, so are the goals of Gordon Brown. If the Prime Minister has things his way, all new cars sold in Britain by 2020 will be electric. Oh, and built in the U.K. (editor's note: FAT CHANCE!), which could become a small step closer to reality if GM decides to go with the Ellesmere Port factory.


[Source: Times Online]

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Opel Flextreme

Despite Carl-Peter Forster's recent assertion that Euro Volts would be built in America and shipped overseas, GM's European leader is now claiming that Europe may get its own plant. This change of heart could have something to do with Gordon Brown's recent announcement that the British government would offer £90m in funding over the next five years for alternative car projects? Why, yes, it could. Forster indicates that government assistance would play a large role in determining whether a European plant for Vauxhaull and Opel E-Flex vehicles is made and where it could be. GM execs also indicate that the surcharge for the Volt in Europe could be around £20,000 over the similarly-sized Astra.

Prime Minister Brown also laid out plans for electric car charging stations across the U.K. which could be integrated into supermarkets and retail stores. Brown considers our times as "a once-in-a-generation opportunity" for the world to push technology forward in a move to reduce the use of ever more expensive oil.


[Source: The Financial Times]

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Opel Flextreme

The internal debate over whether the upcoming Volt will be badged as a Chevrolet or an Opel across the pond has been decided. The first Euro-bound EV's from the General will be Opels, though we are not sure how much in common the vehicle will share with the Flextreme concept. Carl-Peter Forster, president of GM Europe, indicates that a Vauxhall version is also in the works (this would be nothing more than a right hand drive variant for the British market) and that all three of the vehicles will be quite similar in design. A gasoline range-extending powerplant will see shared duty in the trio as well, though we would expect a diesel option in Europe at least at some point.

For the forseeable future, all three E-Flex variants will be built at the same factory in Detroit, and Europeans should expect to see the Opel in 2012. Of course, the extended-range electric car will carry a price premium, with a €10,000 bump over a comparable gas engined vehicle currently being thrown around. We hope that the Volt and its clones will prove popular enough to see that cost premium dwindle somewhat as the cost of batteries drops and allow the General to make a few bucks in the process.


[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Opel Flextreme

A while back, there were rumblings from Opel that the European brand from GM was considering entering the micro car segment currently occupied by vehicles like the smart fortwo and the upcoming Toyota iQ. That rumored vehicle was to be powered by a repurposed motorcycle engine, much like what has been said concerning the budding Toyota model. Now, though, it sounds as if those plans have been scrapped as Opel now sees the largest growth markets coming from normal entry-level vehicles and über-luxury vehicles, classes which bookend the auto industry.

According to GM of Europe's leader, Carl-Peter Forster, Opel is still hard at work on its hybrid model, which was previewed by the Flextreme concept. GM's head in America, Rick Wagoner, echoed that comment but added that there could be more electric vehicles coming from Opel than just the Flextreme. All of these electric vehicles would be based on the E-Flex drivetrain which will underpin future GM vehicles like the Flextreme and Chevy Volt.


[Source: Just-Auto - sub. req'd]

The Opel Flextreme diesel electric concept got a visit from reporters in a studio setting instead of at a busy car show. The video above and the one below the fold are very quiet, thoughtful looks at European's E-flex concept without the usual busy car show in the background. The videos include a great look at the car's doors, which open when you touch them, and rear view cameras replacements for the rear view mirror. Many of the ideas on the car are already in several vehicles you can buy today, so it's very possible you could see something like the Flextreme coming from GM very soon.

[Source: YouTube]

This is the fourth AutoblogGreen video round up and we've got three more videos from the Frankfurt Motor Show. The above video takes a look at the Opel Flextreme with program manager Frank Weber. Frank says the production version of the car will have the lowest rolling resistance tires ever (they do look very smooth). These types of tires improve fuel efficiency but some think they are not very safe. The above video also includes a look at the Nissan Mixim and asks why they say it's 99 percent evil, 1 percent cute. Below the fold is a video of the Mini Clubman. The video of the Clubman includes a demonstration of the stop and go fuel saving technology. Also below the fold is the Ford Verve concept which may be the next Ford Fiesta.

[Source: YouTube]

Welcome to the third AutoblogGreen video round up! Like all the video round ups so far, this one is all about the Frankfurt Auto Show. The video above is Bob Lutz introducing the Opel Flextreme concept. Someone in the Opel video says the emissions from the engine will be constant, which seems to fix complaints of the series hybrid model. Has GM solved the problem of engines warming up?

Below the fold is a video tour of the Frankfurt show floor with a look at most of the new green cars. Included in that video is the VW Up! which the tour guide says could be VW's next iconic car like the VW Bug. Also below the fold is another video tour from the show with a quick shot of Rick Wagoner talking green. This year's IAA was all about green cars, and we've got the video to prove it.

[Source: YouTube]

Welcome to the the first edition of AutoblogGreen video round up! Video round up is a selection of several videos clips we think you might enjoy. The video above features the Opel Flextreme, GM's new E-Flex concept. The Opel video includes lots of views of the amazing doors, interior and even the Segway. Below the fold you will find Kangoo, the Renault compact concept, and Brabus' Smart Fourtwo concept.

[Source: YouTube]

Opel will debut a range of ecoFLEX models at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month to take on Volkswagen's BlueMotion models as the lowest-CO2 emitting variant in each vehicle range. At the lower end of spectrum will be the Corsa ecoFLEX with a 75hp 1.3L turbodiesel equipped with a particulate filter. The Corsa will go on sale in December and the five-door model is rated at 199 g/km of CO2 with fuel consumption of 52.3 mpg (US). The Meriva tall wagon and Astra will also get ecoFLEX versions with the same powertrain.

Also in the ecoFLEX lineup for Frankfurt are natural gas-powered versions of the Zafira and Combo minivans. Both of these use a 94 hp 1.6L engine that can run on any combination of natural gas or biogas as well as having a 3.5 gallon reserve gasoline tank in case a natural gas filling station isn't readily available. The CNG vehicles should have a range of over 300 miles.

Another coming out for the hometown team at Frankfurt will be the Vectra FlexPower. The four-door Vectra will have a 2.0L turbo four cylinder with flex-fuel capability allowing it to run on E85. Using a turbocharged engine allows greater flexibility in optimizing the performance for ethanol since it can get a much higher boost on the biofuel. The Vectra FlexPower engine is rated at 175hp and 195 lb-ft of torque. In addition to powertrain optimizations for all these vehicles, GM is making other changes like electric power steering across the model lineup that helps reduce parasitic losses under all driving conditions.

[Source: General Motors]

Click the new Aveo to enlarge it

The biennial Frankfurt Motor Show is the largest auto show in the world and General Motors will be there in a big way. GM's European brand Opel is based in Russelsheim just down the road from Frankfurt, so this is their hometown show. The GM stand will have plenty of stuff that is new to the world and to Europe with an emphasis on making their cars more environmentally friendly. GM already announced plans to had more efficient models to most of their European lines in the form of ecoFLEX models similar to what VW is doing with their BlueMotion line.

Also debuting in Frankfurt will be the HydroGen4 which is the European version of the Chevy Equinox fuel cell vehicle which will be used for the Project Driveway program. GM is building over 100 of these fuel cell crossovers that will be put into the hands of customers in North America and Europe for field testing over the next couple of years. The first Equinoxes will delivered to customers this fall.

The Chevy Volt will be continuing its world tour with a stint in Frankfurt and the original gas and fuel cell variants will be joined by the debut of a new E-Flex vehicle with a diesel range-extender. The diesel model is expected to be badged as an Opel and where a different body style. A redesigned version of the Opel Agila super-mini and the revamped Aveo will also have their first public showings in Frankfurt.

[Source: General Motors]

At the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, General Motors will be all about the green with a third iteration of E-Flex and the second major body style. GM officials had previously acknowledged the Frankfurt E-Flex vehicle will be a completely different body style from the Chevy Volt. Although no one is saying for sure, it seems likely the Opel E-Flex vehicle will be a tall wagon MPV style similar to the Opel Zafira or a Mazda5.

We also know that the new vehicle will replace the Volt's E85 flex-fuel range extender with one powered by a diesel engine. It's now being reported by CAR magazine the GM may be doing a deal with Segway to include one of their battery powered self-stabilizing scooters with the new concept. With an electrically driven range extended wagon you could roll a Seqway into the back and plug it in to keep it charged, and roll it out when you need it. Things should be interesting in Frankfurt.

[Source: CAR]

Click image for photo gallery

GM unveiled the all-new, Suzuki Swift-based Opel/Vauxhall Agila city car today, and we like what we see. The 5-door hatch is a very stylish little city car that'll arrive next spring with a choice of three powertrain options. A 65-horsepower 1.0-liter 3-cylinder and a 1.2L four-banger with 82 horses are the gasoline-powered choices. The 1.0 gets a 5-speed manual, while the 1.2 will offer an available automatic transmission. The third engine is a 1.3L diesel with particulate filter that's good for 75 horsepower and 140 pounds of torque. CO² emissions will range from 120g/km to 140g/km depending on powertrain selection.

The attractive exterior lines are complemented by a colorful, clean interior that will allow the driver to haul up to 4 friends or up to 40 cubic feet of cargo (the latter if the rear seat is flipped down). The official unveiling will come in Frankfurt this September, and sales will commence next spring. The Agila will have some company, too. According to the British website 4Car, it will be sold as the Chevy Beat (replacing the current Chevy/Daewoo Matiz). That's not it, either. Suzuki will also offer it (no surprise) as the Splash, which will be built in Hungary. We'll have more on the Splash later today. The news that it's apparently going to be sold as the Chevy Beat in Europe has us crossing our fingers in the hopes that it will make the trip across the Atlantic, too. After all, one of the minicar concepts GM is testing the waters here with is also called the Beat.

Press releases from Opel and Vauxhall are pasted after the jump.

[Source: GM]

At the Paris Motor Show, General Motors Product guru Bob Lutz, confirmed to reporters that the next generation Opel Corsa will in fact come to the US market. Unfortunately since Opel just introduced a redesigned Corsa in Europe that is not designed to to meet US regulations, it'll be the next generation Corsa that comes to the US. This means we likely won't see a Corsa hear until model year 2010 or 2011.

The Corsa will continue the product sharing between Opel and Saturn. The original L-series Saturn was based on a previous generation Opel Vectra and the new Aura is the current generation Vectra. The new Sky Roadster goes the other way and is sold as an Opel in Europe. The Saturn-badged Corsa will be built in the US and GM is planning for volumes of 80,000-100,000 per year. The current Corsa is smaller than the recently introduced Toyota Yaris. Ford needs to scramble now to bring a version of the Fiesta or Ka to the US market. According to Automotive News, Mexico is the likely production site for the new car because of the tight margins on small cars like this. GM has already built and sold previous generation Corsas in Mexico for the Mexican and Central American Markets.

[Source: Automotive News and World Wide Automotive Report]

While most consumers are now carefully looking at the fuel economy of their next car, legislators are still focusing their efforts on reducing vehicle emissions. While emission standards vary around the world, it is becoming increasingly difficult to meet the existing and future standards with incremental changes to conventional gasoline and diesel engines. Full hybrids, like the Toyota Prius and Ford Escape, offer fuel economy improvements, and as a direct result, produce lower CO2 emissions. But not every customer wants to buy one of the few hybrid models currently available. A mild hybrid system like the one proposed by Ricardo, an automotive consultant, allows downsizing of the engine by using a relatively low capacity battery in conjunction with an electric motor to boost torque when required. The system offers a no-compromise answer to improved fuel economy and reduced emissions, and is more cost effective. The system Ricardo developed with Valeo, known as Imogen, was demonstrated on an Opel Astra model originally propelled by a 2.0l diesel engine. The Imogen equipped prototype matches the power and torque of the original vehicle by using a 1.2 liter diesel engine combined with an electric starter/alternator mounted on the flywheel. Combined with electrification of the accessories and engine shut down, the car achieved a fuel economy of 3.98litres/100km in the NEDC cycle, a 28% improvement of the baseline vehicle and tailpipe emissions reduced to half of the Euro 4 standards.

[Source: Engineer Live!]