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The E-Flex is a new propulsion system introduced by GM. The "E" in the E-Flex stands for "electricity" and "Flex" stands for "Flexibility".
This term sums up in essence that the vehicle propulsion system will produce electricity, and that its platform is also flexible, a unique feature that will make it a groundbreaking achievement if it can be successfully translated into production.
The first application of this concept has been made in the Chevrolet Volt, a concept car unveiled this year.
The vehicles using this technology will be all electricity-driven. But the beauty of the E-flex systems lies in the fact that electricity will not only be produced from regenerative braking and other mechanical means, but through the use of different types of fuels. These fuels would be used to generate electricity which would charge a Lithium battery pack that would help run the car on electricity.
The emissions from a car using an E-Flex system will be drastically reduced, which will be good for the environment. GM will be able to introduce multiple propulsion systems in a common chassis capable of running on different fuels to generate electricity. The electricity finally provides the motive force for the car.
Another feature that recommends the E-Flex platform is that it is adaptable to a wide diversity of automobile types and sizes and fuel sources. This means that a variety of energy sources can be easily exploited, leading to a win-win situation for everyone.
The E-Flex system emerged from GM's well-researched approach that there is no single solution to the energy crisis that the world has now begun to face, the answer lies in the use of different energy resources available in different parts of the world. For instance, biodiesel derived from Swedish wood chips, or ethanol derived from sugarcane in Brazil or even solar or wind energy could be converted using an E-flex system to drive any sort of car whatsoever.
The most important link in the system is the Lithium battery which enables the car using the E-Flex system to be charged from an electrical source as well, giving more mileage to the car using less fuel.
But while this has made the system more flexible, there is a problem in engineering a battery that is powerful enough to propel a car but affordable enough to go into mass production. Following the implementation in the Chevrolet Volt, the E-Flex system has raised a lot of expectations in the automotive industry.