Vauxhall Ampera

GM is leading the way with a whole-new generation of hybrids! The Ampera, co-developed with its sister car the Chevrolet Volt, is poised to set new standards for fuel economy and emissions when it goes on sale in late 2011. Early tests suggest as much as 176mpg and CO2 emissions of less than 40g/km could be possible, along with a theoretical range of 320-miles.

The innovative drivetrain features a 150bhp motor running off a 16kWh battery. When this runs flat, a 75bhp 1.4-litre diesel kicks in to charge it up. Vauxhall has promised that the advanced lithium-ion cells will take three hours to top-up from a household socket, and will be guaranteed for up to 10 years. But with the batteries alone costing up to £5,000, the problem is keeping the price as low as possible.