Saturn Flextreme Plug-in Concept. Click image to enlarge |
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Saturn Flextreme Plug-in Concept
Detroit, Michigan - Saturn's close ties with GM's European Opel division are once again evident in the Flextreme concept electric vehicle which first debuted as an Opel concept at the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show. Like the Opel, the Saturn Flextreme uses an electric motor powered by a lithium-ion battery to propel the Flextreme for up to 55 km (34 miles), which the company says is enough for most daily commuters in the U.S. to travel without using any fuel or emitting any CO2.
As well, the Flextreme's onboard 1.3-litre turbo-diesel engine creates additional electricity to extend the vehicle's driving range to a total of 715 km (444 miles). What's interesting is that the Flextreme can also be recharged at home with a standard 115-volt outlet in about three hours.
"Clean design, innovative features and environmental technology are hallmarks of Saturn's newly revitalized portfolio," said Saturn General Manager Jill Lajdziak. "The Flextreme concept demonstrates how these design-driven, innovative attributes will be applied in our next generation of vehicles, and it shows that unconventional thinking can result in great cars."
Aerodynamic details and lightweight materials help enhance the fuel savings of the electric-drive system. For example, the bottom edge of the windshield is pulled far forward so that the hood, with its characteristic crease, is very short. The integrated power socket is in the cowl panel.
Like the wheel design, the large, boomerang-like curved front light units are visually deceptive, and continue a theme that began with the Opel GTC Concept at the Geneva Motor Show. The vertically oriented front lights "slice up" the front end in an unusual manner. The LED headlamp unit houses a lightweight crossbeam, fog lamps and air intake for brake cooling, which are comparatively small. The curved rear lights are completely integrated into the tailgate and hidden beneath rear glass. If one of the tailgate doors is opened, an additional parking light switches on so that the Flextreme can be easily seen in the dark.
All windows, including the windshield, are made of lightweight polycarbonate, as is a large part of the roof. The Flextreme's panoramic windshield provides a bright and spacious interior and stretches over most of the roof, which is reinforced by a spine-like composite structure that extends to the rear floor.
Its "FlexDoors" system provides access to the rear cargo area through two butterfly-style rear tailgate doors that individually swing open upward along the central axis of the vehicle. This feature allows the Flextreme's trunk to be accessible from the side when parked tightly against a wall or another vehicle, or when a bicycle rack is fitted on the rear.
The rear doors are another key distinguishing feature of the Flextreme. While the front doors open in the conventional manner, the rear doors are rear-hinged. And as there is no center roof pillar (B-pillar), opening both doors on one side creates a large opening for easy entry. For families, this feature is especially useful when securing child seats and children into the rear seating positions.
The "FlexLoad" underfloor luggage compartment may be the Flextreme's most customer-friendly feature. A practical yet flexible stowage option that extends and retracts electronically, it eliminates having to lift luggage up, over and into a trunk.
The Flextreme also features two electric Segway Personal Transporters ingeniously packaged below the cargo floor. With a twist of the handlebar-mounted release, the handlebar retracts and rotates downward for easy loading into the rear compartment. Once docked, the batteries of these modified Segways can be charged along with the Flextreme's batteries.
