Press Release

Opel/Vauxhall To Introduce Low-Emission ecoFLEX Models

June 29, 2007

General Motors Europe presents extensive environmental strategy

• Saab expands BioPower range to all models
• Cadillac E85-launch in fall 2007, Opel/Vauxhall and Chevrolet as of 2010
• HydroGen4 fuel cell vehicle at IAA, test fleet in 2008
• 16 new GME engine families and ten transmission families by 2012

Berlin. The biggest challenge facing the automobile industry in the coming years is the development of environmentally friendlier vehicles which are affordable and attractive. General Motors Europe (GME) today presented an environmental strategy focusing short-term on reducing CO2 emissions and long-term on introducing new propulsion technologies. The strategy includes lower CO2 emission ecoFLEX models in each Opel/Vauxhall model line, the first making its debut at the Frankfurt motor show (IAA) in September. With HydroGen4, GM also presents the next generation of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles at the IAA. Cadillac launches its BLS model as an E85 variant in fall 2007, Opel/Vauxhall and Chevrolet will offer E85 technology in their vehicles as of 2010.

GME has intensively addressed the subject of emissions reduction and improved fuel economy for many years. This is evident in the current wide product portfolio, in which many vehicles meet or undercut the level of 140 g/CO2 per kilometer.

The especially pro-environmental ecoFLEX range combines economy and driving enjoyment with low fuel consumption and reduced CO2 emissions in each vehicle class. The premiere model is a Corsa 1.3 CDTI emitting just 119 g/km of CO2, which will be launched in 2008. The Swedish premium brand Saab is also expanding its range of environmentally friendly BioPower engines across its entire model portfolio this year.

Between 2007 and 2012, GME will also launch 16 new engine families with a total of 93 variants, as well as ten transmission families with 48 variants.

Sustainability is top priority - from development to recycling

“A vehicle’s CO2 emissions are an important parameter, but by no means the only measurement of its environmental compatibility,” says Carl-Peter Forster, President, General Motors Europe. GM is focusing on a wide range of environmentally friendly vehicles, instead of single prestige objects. In line with its commitment to sustainability, GM addresses the environmental aspects of its products and processes - from development through to the disposal of old cars. GM automobiles are designed to be recycled as easily and completely as possible in over 2000 recycling centers throughout Europe. “The start of Opel/Vauxhall’s ecoFLEX environmental initiative at the beginning of June was an important step, as this campaign promotes the scrapping of old vehicles which do not meet today’s environmental standards,” continues Carl-Peter Forster.

More economical, efficient and cleaner internal combustion engines

In order to further reduce fleet fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, GM is pursuing a strategy of short and mid-term objectives. Conventional internal combustion engines will be made more efficient and economical through continued development, and greater use will be made of alternative fuels.

Eco-Turbo and CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) are the engine concepts at the core of Opel/Vauxhall’s ecoFLEX models. Engines with larger displacements are being replaced by new Eco-Turbo units with smaller cylinder volumes. The new engines operate at higher efficiency than naturally aspirated units, which leads to a significant reduction in consumption and CO2 emissions. This reduction is achieved through less friction and increased thermal efficiency by shifting the operating points to higher loads. The Eco-Turbo concept is used in both gasoline and diesel engines. The latest example is the Astra engine range. The 1.6 turbo ECOTEC (132 kW/180 hp) replaces the 2.0-liter turbo (125 kW/170 hp), saving 14 percent of fuel and in turn reducing CO2 emissions by the same amount. The new 1.7 CDTI turbo-diesel (81 kW/110 hp and 92 kW/125 hp) consumes seven percent less fuel than the 1.9-liter diesel engines (74 kW/100 hp and 88 kW/120 hp). There is no penalty in acceleration or top speed; in fact, the three new engines deliver slightly higher performance.

Opel/Vauxhall applies the proven TWINPORT concept in its naturally aspirated gasoline engines with a displacement of up to 1.6 liters. With its variable intake control and high rates of exhaust gas recirculation, TWINPORT can reduce fuel consumption by around five percent under everyday driving conditions. While up to 25 percent of the cylinder charge at partial load is made of previously burnt exhaust gas, power delivery and fuel efficiency are retained at full load, and can even be improved.

Gasoline engines with larger displacements are being successively adapted to direct injection. Current offers are the 2.2 DIRECT ECOTEC in the Opel/Vauxhall range, and the high-tech 2.0 turbo ECOTEC unit from the new Opel GT, which boasts a power output of 132 hp per liter. This engine also features “Cam-Phase” variable camshaft phasing, which together with other measures reduces fuel consumption by a further three to ten percent. The 1.6 and 1.8 ECOTEC engines also feature this technology.

GME aims to further reduce fuel consumption in the short and mid-term with a host of technology features. These include the introduction across all model lines of Electric Power Steering (EPS). Already available in the Corsa, EPS only uses energy when the steering wheel is actually being turned. In the future, “Start/Stop” systems will automatically switch off the engine and restart it quickly, such as at a red traffic light. A low-noise starter generator replaces the conventional starter and alternator. The alternator in cars without Start/Stop also receives an innovation update; the High Efficiency Alternator (HEA) converts mechanical energy into electrical energy highly efficiently, and reliably supplies the high current that today’s systems require. The Variable Displacement Oil Pump (VDOP) only pumps enough lubricant into the engine as is actually needed. Low rolling-resistance tires and enhancements to the vehicle’s aerodynamics complement the powertrain-related improvements.

E85 and CNG: Alternative fuels across the product portfolio

In the mid-term, GM wants to offer an increasing number of models that run on alternative fuels. The Swedish brand Saab plays a very successful pioneering role in Europe with its BioPower technology. Cadillac will also offer E85 as of this fall, followed by Opel/Vauxhall and Chevrolet in 2010.

E85 offers enhanced environmental compatibility, performance, driving enjoyment and lower costs. Drivers in Germany can currently take advantage of these benefits with the Saab 9-5 2.0t BioPower and 9-5 2.3t BioPower models. BioPower will be featured throughout the 9-3 model line as of this fall. E85 consists of 85 percent bioethanol and 15 percent unleaded gasoline. Thanks to the sophisticated Trionic engine management, the higher octane (104 RON) as compared to regular gasoline is converted into a considerable power increase. The 154 kW/210 hp, 9-5 2.3t BioPower produces 14 percent more horsepower and 11 percent more torque (310 Nm) when running on bioethanol (compared to the “normal” gasoline variant with 136 kW/185 hp, 280 Nm). Despite this boost in performance, the CO2 balance remains practically unchanged, as bioethanol is produced from renewable, agricultural crops. It has significant potential to reduce CO2 on a source-to-wheel basis, particularly when cellulose based ethanol becomes widely available. The positive environmental balance complements the extremely clean combustion, which releases practically no toxic elements and only very few suspended particles and ozone. Another advantage of Saab BioPower models is that they can run on E85, regular or super unleaded gasoline or any mixture of the fuels. The engine management system adapts the ignition to the mixture and the fuel’s resultant octane level. This means the driver is not restricted to filling stations offering E85.

CNG is another alternative fuel. Opel currently offers two models with this especially pro-environmental and economic propulsion: Zafira CNG and Combo CNG (Compressed Natural Gas). They consume just 5.0/4.9 kg of gas per 100 km (corresponds to 138/133 g CO2/km respectively). The seven-seat Zafira CNG produces just 20 g CO2 per kilometer and seat. Opel’s CNG cars offer exceptionally low operating costs, undercut the strictest exhaust standards by up to 80 percent, offer a range of up to 380 km in CNG operation and ensure unrestricted use of the passenger compartment and trunk. They also offer practically the same engine performance as the base gasoline engine with 69 kW/94 hp and have a reserve gasoline tank for an extra range of 170 km. The 1.6-liter engine is designed to operate on CNG, biogas or any mixture of the two. Opel also plans to introduce a more powerful “TNG” engine with turbocharging.

E-Flex system revolutionizes electrical propulsion

With the Chevrolet Volt, GM this year presented a vehicle whose innovative E-Flex system allows the installation of multiple propulsion systems into one common chassis with electric drive. E-Flex has been specially designed for small and mid-size vehicles of the future. The “E” stands for “electric drive”, and the “Flex” for the architecture’s adaptability. The system allows the use of electricity from a wide range of sources, such as the power grid, a generator driven by a small internal combustion engine fueled by E85 or biodiesel, or from a fuel cell. The propulsion system can thus be matched to the needs and infrastructure of specific markets. For example, a driver in Brazil could use ethanol as fuel for the internal combustion engine. A customer in Shanghai could use hydrogen produced via solar energy to create electricity in a fuel cell, and a Swedish driver could use biodiesel produced from wood. The aim is to support global diversification of the “energy mix” and focus on more than one fuel technology.

The technology breakthrough still needed to implement E-Flex in production vehicles is a high-performance lithium-ion battery. Experts expect batteries of this kind to reach production maturity between 2010 and 2012. GM has thus awarded contracts to two companies: Continental Automotive Systems in Frankfurt, part of the Germany-based Continental AG, is to further develop lithium-ion batteries; and Compact Power Inc., located in Troy, Michigan, is to focus on the battery’s integration into the vehicle.

Long-term objective: zero-emission vehicles thanks to fuel cells

Through all these measures and technologies, GM pursues a clearly defined objective: to make the zero-emission vehicle with hydrogen fuel cell a reality. Engineers have been working at full speed for several years on developing the fuel cell to production maturity. GM has already invested more than one billion US dollars in the technology. “The research department of the Fuel Cell Activities Center (FCA) is currently being integrated into regular production development, giving it a central role within the corporation,” explains Carl-Peter Forster. “This is a sign that we are preparing for the series production of fuel cell technology.” More than 400 of these engineers will continue development in the powertrain organization, while a further 100 move to global product development to begin integrating fuel cells into upcoming GM models.

GM has already shown with several projects that fuel cells are well beyond the laboratory trials stage. In Berlin, for example, a HydroGen3 fuel-cell vehicle, based on the Opel/Vauxhall Zafira, has been in successful operation as a customer delivery vehicle for two years at the Swedish furniture retailer Ikea; and recently the Chevrolet Sequel concept car set a world record in the USA when it covered 300 miles (480 km) in normal traffic without refueling. This is a range that drivers generally expect from their cars today.

The GM HydroGen4 – the European version of the Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell – will be presented at the IAA and marks the next step toward fuel cell production maturity. In the fall, the first of 100 Equinox fuel cell vehicles will start an extensive demonstration project in the USA. A fleet of ten vehicles will begin a similar program in Berlin next year.

General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world’s largest automaker, has been the annual global industry sales leader for 76 years. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 280,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in Detroit, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 33 countries. In 2006, nearly 9.1 million cars and trucks were sold globally. In Europe, GM sells its Opel, Vauxhall, Saab, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Corvette and Hummer ranges in over 30 markets.

It operates 10 production and assembly facilities in seven countries and employs around 60,000 people. More information on GM and its products can be found at http://media.gmeurope.com and http://www.gmeurope.com.