General Motors subsidiary Opel will yield an innovative compact van called the Zafira within the next two months. The Zafira is a compact van with seven-seat capability that will be showcased at the Bologna Motor Show the first week of December 2008. The GM Opel Zafira will run on a combination of compressed natural gas (CNG) and gasoline when it is sold in European dealerships starting January 2009.
The Zafira’s particulars show that General Motors does not have its head completely in the sand when it comes to alternative fuels. This compact van will produce 150 horsepower with a 1.6 liter engine capable of reaching 120 miles per hour. Four CNG tanks underneath the driver’s side provide enough power to last 230 miles without refills. GM and Opel have included a 3.7 gallon gasoline tank with a 93-mile range for drivers who forget to refill their CNG tanks.
North American readers may think that a CNG compact van sounds like a novelty rather than a practical solution for consumers. A quick look at the European market awaiting the Zafira will show that GM and Opel are taking a shrewd step by fast tracking this vehicle. The CNG market in Europe consists of a sizable percentage (26%) of compact vans due to the region’s concern with vehicle size and emissions. GM Opel has built 58,000 gas-powered vehicles through September 2008, making it the second-largest CNG producer in Europe.
General Motors could follow two paths with its Zafira compact van as January 2009 passes. The first path is the slow but steady accumulation of sales in the five major European markets including natural markets in Italy and Germany (Opel’s two biggest sales areas). The second path is a rapid succession of releases in Europe, Asia and North America to take advantage of the power of emerging automotive markets (think India, Brazil and Russia).
While GM is planning to follow the first path, fortune favors the bold in today’s auto market. Even as GM is preparing to produce its Volt all-electric car in 2011, it is struggling to stay afloat in a difficult economy. If GM wants to survive long enough to see the Volt and the future of alternative vehicles, it needs to exploit its overseas collaborations and push its alternative fuel options into new markets. The Zafira may not be much to look at but it represents technology necessary for the survival of legacy automakers like General Motors.
I have a friend in Germany that has a van equipped with natural gas, and she said it lasts a very long time and uses little energy. So this might be a great option.