More on future urban mobility live at Frankfurt comes the Opel RAK Concept, see in these official pics. The vehicle is Opel’s vision of a future electric model which addresses the problems associated with city travel, and with this solution Opel is hitting the European market with an option that will work for young drivers, not fully licensed as the RAK can also be classified as a light vehicle.

The model has either a 45 km/hr limited top speed, or it can be bought as a fully fledged car with 120 km/hr as a top speed, constant output of 10.5 kW with another 36.5 kW coming from the electric motor, and a 5 kW battery with a range of about 100 km. The RAK Concept is three metres long and weighs just 380 kg.

These kinds of urban mobility vehicles love figures and Opel claims only one euro of energy is used every 100 km so that would apparently make running costs extremely low. It is also made from recyclable materials, making it a green car in every sense. The RAK Concept is apparently inspired by a glider design and the front seat and steering wheel automatically move forward to give more room to passengers getting in and out. Check it out in the official pics below.

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The Opel electric concept that we’ll be seeing at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show is still without a name at this stage, but in this teaser pic it faces off with the Opel Ampera. Opel describes the model as a new study on zero emissions mobility and the shape of car under wraps in this picture would indicate it’s an electric citycar model.

There’s no other information at this stage but we wouldn’t be surprised to see more teaser or preview pics of the Opel electric citycar concept before the show. It will join the Zafira Tourer, new Combo and Astra GTC on the Opel stand at Frankfurt.

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It will be a busy 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show for Opel as the German brand of General Motors decks its stands with some new models. Along with the new Opel Astra GTC, Zafira Tourer, Combo and updated EcoFlex engine options, we could see a brand new electric concept car which might be a precursor to a future Opel Junior or Allegra electric city car.

News has been around for some time of Opel’s developing foray into the citycar segment with something smaller than the Corsa, but which isn’t the Agila. Given that it should be a vehicle which “explores new concepts of mobility”, we’re guessing an electric concept could be the go. If it is an electric version of the Opel Junior, it would make the debut quite early, as Automotive News originally reported a Junior debut at the 2012 Paris Motor Show.

It will make the Opel stand at Frankfurt quite the ecological corner as along with the new Ecoflex technology, we’ll also see the full production version of the Opel Ampera. Live pics to come when the show opens in September.

Source | Autoblog.it
Image | Autobloggreen

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Recent reports on the loss-making Opel arm of General Motors have taken an interesting turn in this intriguing news from Auto Motor und Sport, via Motortrend. In speaking to Opel manager Klaus Franz, he suggested that the new Opel Allegra or Junior citycar model could make it to the US as an Opel-branded model, bringing the marque back to the North American market after it was last seen there about 40 years ago.

Leaving aside why they would embark on this project with the Allegra and not with the Insignia, for example, General Motors has had nothing to say about the words from Franz, and has left the matter to Opel CEO Dan Akerson. We doubt a move like this would happen, though, as already the Opel citycar future is undecided and the Corsa itself has never previously been mentioned with the US car market in mind.

In the meantime, General Motors will be releasing its Chevrolet Sonic compact vehicle on home turf next year and its fortunes will be closely watched in an increasingly competitive small car segment in the US. Rumours of a possible Opel sale have emerged again recently, and the idea of Opel returning to the US market is probably wishful thinking.

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An Opel citycar electric vehicle could appear together with a luxury crossover model by 2015 according to reports from German publication Welt, and an interview with Opel CEO Karl-Friedrich Stracke. The Opel crossover project would result in a model to be positioned above the Insignia, currently the flagship for the brand, and apparently Opel designers are considering something more characteristic and different, not dissimilar to what Citroen had looked at for the DS5.

We hope they stick to the idea of the originality of the design, but in any case an Opel crossover model could help the brand in emerging markets, and offer a model in a segment that is currently being dominated by other players. In the meantime, the Opel citycar (not the Mokka as we understand it), would be an electric model to follow in the footsteps of the Ampera and its EREV technology.

It’s uncertain how they might achieve it, but Opel engineers are looking at trying the range extending technology on the citycar, which would make this one of the first models of its kind with a truly impressive range likely to convert the cynics amongst us. The current Opel strategy in this segment is unclear, but at this stage it looks like two models are being considered: an Opel Junior compact car in the style of the Mini and Citroen DS3, and more minimalist and economic citycar with an electric solution.

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There is a long preamble to this story that is coming up, but firstly reports are that the future Opel Corsa could be built in Korea, along with a new Opel citycar model being developed. According to the reports, there will be a new “premium hatch” and a budget citycar which will join the Opel Corsa in the small car line-up for the brand.

Despite being cars destined for the European market, the Corsa design and engineering will take place in Korea, along with the other two vehicles. The premium hatch, intended as a Mini competitor, will possibly have manufacturing trusted to Europe though, in what we see as a move indicating doubts on the build quality coming from Asia.

While nothing has been signed off as yet, General Motors has already tried this Asian-built Corsa experiment on another market - Australia. The model there is called the Holden Barina, and it was a stalwart on the Australian market for many years, especially as it gave local customers access to good, European-made cars, re-badged with an Australian brand. That was until recently when General Motors decided it could re-badge Daewoos rather than export the European models. More after the jump.

Continue reading: Analysis: would you buy a Korean-built Opel Corsa in Europe?

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