Vauxhall Ampera driven

This might be the only sound your next car ever makes… A gentle swishing of tyres against tarmac as a digital speedometer nudges 70mph. Under the bonnet, the 1.4-litre petrol engine sits silent and dead. Power is coming from a huge 180kg, T-shaped battery pack mounted under the floor.

This is the future, as shown by Vauxhall’s stunning new Ampera – which we caught up with for this exclusive first drive. Offering the latest lithium-ion technology, it gives the Vauxhall Astra-sized model an electric-only range of 40 miles.

The difficulties in developing the world’s first mass-produced extended range battery car should not be underestimated. First, the battery alone is said to cost in the region of £6,000 – and then there’s an engine which is only designed to work for brief periods.

The solution means that you might find the powerplant bursts spontaneously into life from time to time. This is to set parameters for the on-board diagnostics – and prevent the fuel becoming stale in the tank.

What does impress about this far from fully developed prototype is its acceleration and silence. Top speed is limited to 100mph, with a 0-60mph time of nine seconds, but the 111kW (148bhp) electric motor provides sizzling kickdown performance, equivalent to that of a 2.5-litre V6 Insignia.

At motorway speeds, there’s a fair bit of roar from the eco Goodyear tyres and a slight fluttering of wind noise. But the final, production-ready, highly aerodynamic Ampera will be a great deal quieter.

Because of the unique way the Vauxhall is powered, direct fuel-consumption comparisons are difficult. But it will emit about 40g/km of CO2 and have running costs around one-fifth of an equivalent fully loaded Vauxhall Astra.

As for the price, the jury is still out, with GM examining whether to lease the battery pack. As a complete package, including the battery, the Ampera would cost over £35,000 – although the UK Government is talking about £3,000-£5,000 buyer grants. At present, the project raises more questions than it answers. But this early drive shows the car has real promise.