Automotive

Opel Ampera: Europe's Chevrolet Volt unveiled

Opel Ampera: Europe's Chevrolet Volt unveiled
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Opel Ampera
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Opel Ampera to make Geneva debut
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Opel Ampera to make Geneva debut
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Hybrid layout with a on-board 1.4 liter petrol engine
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Hybrid layout with a on-board 1.4 liter petrol engine
Voltec powertrain
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Hybrid layout with a on-board 1.4 liter petrol engine
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Hybrid layout with a on-board 1.4 liter petrol engine
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Voltec powertrain
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Holden Volt
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March 3, 2009 After various sneak peeks and spy shots, we now have official pictures of the European version of the Chevrolet Volt. To be officially launched at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, the left hand drive Opel/Vauxhall Ampera will go on sale late 2011 with a right-hand drive Vauxhall version available in 2012.

While GM recently released the first images of the right hand drive Holden Volt at the Melbourne Motor Show in Australia, it looked exactly like a standard U.S. Volt with a Holden badge on the front grille. The Ampera looks quite different which is mostly due to the re-styled front bumper and different wheels.

The Ampera uses the same Voltec powertrain as the Volt and is built on the same GM Delta platform as used in the Chevrolet Cruze. The Ampera features the same series hybrid layout with a on-board 1.4 liter petrol engine that is only ever used to charge the 16 Kw/hr Lithium ion battery rather than drive the wheels.

The result is up to 60km (40 miles) of emissions-free driving between charges on battery power that costs only $0.01 per kilometer, or up to 500km (312 Miles) using electricity from the on-board engine-generator.

This makes the five-door, four-seat Ampera a highly sustainable choice for European motorists whose fuel prices are amongst the highest in the world.

Paul Evans

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6 comments
6 comments
robinyatesuk2003
at last, we have a serious cheap fuel car in Europe,,,,,soon to be followed by many more manufacturers
Adrian Akau
\"The result is up to 60km (40 miles) of emissions-free driving between charges on battery power that costs only $0.01 per kilometer, or up to 500km (312 Miles) using electricity from the on-board engine-generator.\"

The first 60 Km are $0.01 per Km but after that, the fuel costs are not given. Even though the car is driven by an electric motor, the electricity after 60 Km is being produced by the 1.4 lit motor and the fuel consumption after 60 Km is not being given.

The car does not appear very aerodynamic, even though it is stylish.
John in Brisbane
Great to see but in response to robinyatesuk2003 above, the cynic in me thinks these things will be taxed a lot so that they don\'t clog the roads over there. Hope I\'m wrong! My main thought though is \"Its a great move but this is 10 years late and I will remember why\"\"
Slik Slikman
is it me or is this car a left hand drive
Gargamoth
Nice interior, Why the heck does chevy America keep making plain interior when they pull this off over seas? I like to see a Corvette with a caddy interior design..
Gargamoth
Chevy should be the concept they had for the volt, I'm not pleased with the four door look.