2007 Opel Corsa Hybrid ECOflex Concept

Has hybrid technology lost its plot? Surely the days of the first Prius and the

The ECOflex program is sort of like VW's BlueMotion or BMW's Efficient Dynamics, but it's a little different as it takes all ways of cutting emissions into play including the use of hybrids. (Photo: Opel)

Insight should refresh the memories of these small battery-assisted oddities, which put fuel consumption as their top priority. But where did the business of maximum fuel economy go? The push for hybrids has strayed from the vehicles that served as the technology's Petri dish. The biggest purveyors of hybrids are in the luxury car segment with Lexus and Mercedes-Benz. Failing that, it's the giant sport utility vehicles and quarter ton pickup trucks.

It may be true then that the biggest and heaviest vehicles on the road might have the most to gain by adopting hybrid technology, but in a sense, just like energy conserving appliances and other green devices, it gives us the mental appeasement that our savings can go towards something bigger, stronger or faster. It's funny then that the latest trend in green technology isn't simply for automakers to go for more hybrids, but to make the most out of what's currently available, such as BMW's Efficient Dynamics or Volvo's C30 Efficiency Concept.

General Motors hasn't seemed to have lost the initial idea, incidentally, especially not its European arm. One car that will be displayed at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show under the new ECOflex product initiative is the Corsa Hybrid, a subcompact model that's been converted to run on diesel and electricity.

The engine is very small, even by normal subcompact standards. It only measures 1.3 liters in displacement. (Photo: Opel)

The Corsa Hybrid is based very closely on the recently introduced Corsa 1.3 CDTI turbodiesel, and with 73 horsepower it's a very efficient vehicle to begin with. On the European fuel economy cycle, it's capable of squeezing 52 miles per gallon out and emits just 6.8 oz/mi of carbon dioxide in the five-door body style. However, with the Hybrid components added, the Corsa is now capable of traveling 63 mpg, and reduces its CO2 emission count to 5.6 oz/mi.

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