Vauxhall Ampera

Say hello to the Ampera - an all new Vauxhall that's set to lead the British firm's charge into the electric car market.

Official details are still scarce – the only picture of the Ampera is this Opel-badged example – but Auto Express has learned that it’s powered by GM’s groundbreaking electric propulsion technology, called Voltec.

The drivetrain debuted in the advanced Chevrolet Volt, and uses an advanced lithium-ion battery.
This alone can power the Ampera for short trips of less than 30 miles, after which it can be charged via a regular electricity socket.

Vauxhall has confirmed that the five-door, four-seat machine will be revealed at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show in March, before being readied for production some time in 2011.

According to sources close to the project, the car could be built at the firm's Ellesmere Port factory, alongside the next generation Astra.

“With the Ampera, Opel will be the first European automobile manufacturer to provide customers several hundred kilometres of non-stop electric driving,” said Alain Visser, GM Europe Chief Marketing Officer.

GM’s ground-breaking electric propulsion technology, called Voltec, operates differently from other advanced propulsion systems. For short trips up to 60 km, the Ampera will run only on lithium-ion battery power charged via a standard 230v outlet. For longer distances, the car will continue to drive on electricity that is generated by a small internal combustion engine.

The Ampera will be well-suited to the daily driving schedule of most British customers. It's reckoned that as many as 80 percent of UK drivers travel less than 30miles a day.