• Tweet
• Share on Tumblr
• Email

During a recent visit of Hungarian Prime Minister and EU Council Chairman Viktor Orbán to Opel aimed at learning about the company’s strategy for sustainable mobility, the automaker quietly revealed plans to launch a fuel cell vehicle by 2015. Opel is hard at work downsizing its engines and putting its first electric cars on the road this year, but the more dramatic move to fuel cells is a sign that GM Europe is taking a shift to green vehicles seriously. During Prime Minister Orbán’s tour of the facilities, Opel also confirmed it is investing 11 billion Euros (16 billion USD) in several electric models it will release in 2014. What will it look like?

We’re hoping the Opel fuel cell is modeled after the company’s recent Flextreme concept car, pictured here. As it takes 3-4 years for automakers to develop a new vehicle, and even longer to pioneer new technologies, this seemingly gradual shift to green cars is actually quite a radical one. General Motors pulls on its GM Europe/Opel design talent for its global operations as well, so expect to see Opel’s new vehicles being rebadged in the U.S. several years down the line as the first Chevy full electric and fuel cell cars. We can’t wait.

+ GM

Via World Car Fans

Photos © GM Corp

0  print email thisemail