Opel to debut extended range Vivaro eConcept [w/video]

Following in the footsteps of the Chevrolet Volt, Opel has introduced the Vivaro eConcept, a range-extended electric vehicle aimed at the commercial market. Obviously, the Vivora eConcept and the Volt share little in common on the outside, but the means of motivation are most certainly cousins. The Vivaro is powered by a 111 kW motor that outputs 273 pound-feet of torque and, with some oomph provided by the lithium-ion battery pack, propels the van up to 62 miles on a full charge. Then the range extender steps in to boost total range to nearly 250 miles.

Opel will debut the Vivaro eConcept at the IAA Commercial Vehicles Fair in Hannover and the company hopes to obtain some input from commercial vehicle operators attending the event. Executive director of international operations Opel/Vauxhall commercial vehicles, Chris Lacey, explains the purpose of the Vivaro eConcept project this way:

We are convinced that we will get a fantastic reaction from the people who use such vehicles on a daily basis: Electric mobility will allow them to travel in city areas which are now off-limits to petrol and diesel-powered vehicles and the range-extender technology makes it possible to use an electric van for normal routine business.

If you think of the Vivaro eConcept as an ultra-efficient version of the Sprinter, then you sort of get the gist of Opel's range-extended van. The Vivaro provides a clean method to transport goods in congested urban centers, areas which are typically riddled with smog from tens or hundreds of thousands of gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles. Hit the jump for some video footage of the Opel Vivaro eConcept.

[Source: General Motors]

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PRESS RELEASE

Debut: Vivaro e-Concept Study Adds New Impulses
Opel Premiere at the IAA Commercial Vehicles 2010

* Electric-van concept, seen with more than 400 km extended range
* Clean advanced technology perfect for congested urban areas
* Capacity with more than 5 m3 cargo space and 750 kg payload target

Hannover/Rüsselsheim. Opel is sending new impulses to electric mobility: At the IAA Commercial Vehicles Fair in Hannover (September 23 to 30, 2010) the brand debuts a research project on a Vivaro e-Concept, an electric van with up to 400 kilometers extended range. With this concept, Opel imagines that environmentally friendly e-mobility could also be intriguing for commercial vehicle operators.

"We would like to test the acceptance of our advanced propulsion technology by showing the Vivaro e-Concept to the commercial vehicle specialists attending the show," says Chris Lacey, Executive Director, International Operations Opel/Vauxhall Commercial Vehicles. "We are convinced that we will get a fantastic reaction from the people who use such vehicles on a daily basis: Electric mobility will allow them to travel in city areas which are now off-limits to petrol and diesel-powered vehicles and the range-extender technology makes it possible to use an electric van for normal routine business."

The Vivaro e-Concept aims to prove that operators do not have to make great concessions to practicality when they choose intelligent propulsion. The e-Concept is conceived to have 5.0 cubic meter storage capacity able to carry 750 kilograms of load, making it an excellent value for urban delivery drivers.

The e-Concept is envisioned to be capable of meeting the typical daily needs of inner city delivery transport fully electrically and therefore completely emission-free. The vehicle would be extremely quiet and clean – with respect to the environment and reduced traffic zones in the inner city.

The 111 kW electric motor in the Vivaro e-Concept propulsion system delivers 370Nm of torque and would offer 100 kilometers pure electric driving range. On longer, regional hauls or shuttle services, range-extender switches on, extending the total driving range to more than 400 kilometers. Thanks to Opel's extended range propulsion concept, engineers foresee the Vivaro e-Concept as capable of driving permanently with engine and electric motor propulsion, enabling drivers to reach distant destinations with the confidence and peace of mind that a depleted battery will not strand them.

Intelligently stowed energy

Opel engineers have mounted the batteries, which can be re-charged on a standard household 230-volt outlet under the floor of the Vivaro e-Concept. There, the lithium ion battery modules are protected from the weather. At the same time the modules provide a low center of gravity for good handling characteristics, protecting especially from crosswind influence.