Is Opel thinking about building this battery-powered 2-seater? It says it just might.
Opel aims to appeal to a new generation of eco-friendly buyers with the radical 2-seat battery car it plans to introduce at the Frankfurt Motor Show next week.
With a body looking something like an enclosed motorcycle – albeit with four wheels – the maker suggests the unusual concept has “production potential” and would “create a new class of lightweight, zero-emissions electric vehicles in the UK and Europe.”
Who might be interested? An Opel release suggests it would target “younger drivers and those on a very tight budget.”
Opel isn’t offering up many details yet – not even the name of the new show car – but it suggests it is “inspired” by the new Opel Ampera plug-in electric vehicle which recently debuted in Europe. The sister to America’s Chevrolet Volt just garnered honors as the car of the year choice of influential British magazine What Car.
The Opel concept is one of many battery microcars debuting at this year's Frankfurt Motor Show.
Beyond the obvious design differences the Opel 2-seater uses a battery-electric drivetrain, rather than Ampera/Volt’s gas-electric hybrid package. While the specifics of the technology will likely be revealed in Frankfurt, Opel hints the concept car would have a 60-mile range between charges and could hit 75 mph, “making even the odd motorway trip feasible.”
The Opel prototype is one of many new electric microcars making their debut in Frankfurt this year, albeit one of the most distinctively designed. The flood of offerings reflects the growing demand for clean, high-mileage and truly personal transportation, industry watchers suggest.
The challenge is not only to find the most efficient powertrain technology but come up with striking designs that are also flexible inside. Other offerings likely to draw attention at the show will include the tandem 2-seat Audi Urban Concept, and Volkswagen’s go-it-alone Nils.
*Click Here to check out the Audi A2 Concept.
*Click Herefor a look at the VW Nils.
*Click Here to see the Audi Urban Concept.