Opel Ampera

[dpeilow]

If it's a 30 litre tank, then that is 6.6 imperial gallons which gives 47 mpg.

 

[dpeilow]

After 40 miles of electric-only running, the engine fires up to generate the electrical current required to propel the car and maintain the battery charge.

The 30-litre fuel tank gives 311 more miles of range. Economy is calculated at an incredible 175mpg.

Running on gas, I calculate 10,4 MPG. Still incredible, but....

I think you got a gallon to litre conversion wrong somewhere...

 

[Adm]

Indeed, liters and miles....

 

[dpeilow]

We Brits have to be bilingual when it comes to this stuff :smile:

 

[doug]

Ampera / Volt to become a parallel hybrid...

I got this back from them, via Facebook:

Hi David, Vauxhall would like to state that there are no plans to make any mechanical or control changes to the Ampera before its launch in early 2012, and that the vehicle cannot be driven without electricity.

Yeah, I read that as Vauxhaul may offer a parallel hybrid version of the Ampera after its launch in 2012.

That's not necessarily a bad thing. 2012 is a little ways off from the supposed US Volt launch this fall. It may be (and is likely) that they'll be able to make parallel more efficient than serial in certain use cases. We already know they plan to have future versions of the Volt that hopefully include a flex fueled version and one that's a pure EV. Those first US customers are going to provide a lot of valuable data on how to tweak future versions (or adjust firmware in existing models).

 

[vfx]

Not that Tesla did not have some rumor killing to do.

Chevrolet Volt will not have direct engine drive, electric only

English somehow came to believe that General Motors was working on an update for the launch of the Volt that would see the installation of a mechanical drive between the engine and wheels to bypass the mechanical-electrical energy conversion inefficiencies. While GM's two-mode hybrid system does exactly this with a pair of clutches, there are no plans to do this for the Volt. GM spokesman Rob Peterson told GM-Volt.com that the Volt's drive architecture remains the same as always with the engine only driving a generator.

http://green.autoblog.com/2010/06/28/chevrolet-volt-will-not-have-direct-engine-drive-electric-only/

I'd say about 20 percent of initial powertrain questions are "Is it all electric?" coming from a combination of disbelief and misinformation.

 

[dpeilow]

I talked to two senior Vauxhall personnel today and also got to sit in an Ampera prototype. Some of the info I picked up (some new, some confirmation):

- There absolutely, categorically, truly will not be a direct mechanical link between the engine and the wheels. When I asked where this had come from, I just got "journalists" and a shrug of the shoulders.

- The UK price should hopefully be £30k before rebates.

- Chevrolet will sell the Volt in Europe in addition to the Vauxhall/Opel Ampera. This came about because the business lines were being separated in preparation for the sell-off that never happened.

- Cabin fit and finish was not bad for a hand built prototype, but I think they will need to improve it a bit for that price bracket.

- The centre console will get a redesign.

- They will not necessarily fit the J1772 socket. If Mennekes prevails in Europe, the car will get Mennekes.

- It does move under electric power - I've seen it with my own eyes!



A few pics:

 

[dpeilow]

The future's already arrived at Goodwood

So calm as you like, you just floor the throttle. Now it's got your attention though, because off the line the Ampera has a surprising turn of speed.

At the top I’m impressed by the Ampera. To drive it’s close enough to a regular car not to put anyone off, it’s plenty quick enough up to 60mph and it disguises its weight well.

I’m genuinely looking forward to the next generation of EVs, because I believe the experience you get with instant torque really does offer something for enthusiasts to enjoy.

And if by using EVs for shorter, more routine journeys, it means we can continue to enjoy the spectacle of the internal combustion engine simply for the hell of it, then all the better.

That last paragraph is what I tell the petrolheads*. Maybe the journos are finally getting it.


*I just leave off the bit about economies of scale.

 

[EVNow]

- The UK price should hopefully be £30k before rebates.

That is close to Leaf. Wonder what they will do in US ...

BTW, whats up with the red & gray interior ?

 

[dpeilow]

Opel Ampera priced from 42,900 euros ($58,718 USD!)

 

[dpeilow]

Vauxhall announces Ampera price

£28,995 after rebate.


£150 refundable reservation fee too.

 

[AndrewBissell]

Hmmm not as bad as expected.

 

[dpeilow]

Opel Now Taking Ampera EV Pre-orders in Europe

 

[dpeilow]

Pretty interesting to sit and watch. They hit 169 km/h at one point, that's a little bit more than officially claimed.

 

[TEG]

The ~95MPH top speed of the Leaf is plenty fast for me here in the USA with low speed limits.
For someone with an autobahn, the top speed advantage of Ampera over Leaf starts to seem compelling.
100% BEVs really aren't well suited to inefficient very high speed travel.

Going that fast isn't very environmentally friendly...

 

[dpeilow]

Vauxhall Ampera scores top safety marks | TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk

 

[dpeilow]

Opel invited bloggers to an event at the Frankfurt IAA Show later this month, but something else is in store.

Ampera up close: Blog get-together at the IAA | Opel Ampera Blog

So, what is that under the cover? An Opel-ised version of the Chevy Spark EV?

 

[TEG]

Shape looks about right for the 'e-spark'...

Are you one of the 'bloggers' that got invited?

e-spark:
http://www.auto-power-girl.com/high...vrolet-spark-ev/chevrolet-spark-ev-2010-3.jpg

Then there is the "Beat EV":
GM Unveils Chevy Beat Electric Vehicle in India (The Torque Report)

 

[dpeilow]

That's the last generation of the Spark but the new one fits the silhouette even more closely.


It was an open invitation to the first 10 to reply on twitter. Unfortunately I have something very important at work that day, otherwise I'd have been on the first train down there. Frankfurt is shaping up to be another good EV show.

 

[TEG]

The front bumper/nose on that covered car in the photo looks lower than the 'tall' nose on the new Spark.

More on EV rumors for the Spark:
Will GM's First All-Electric Car Be A Chevy Spark Minicar?
(And with a name like "Spark" it sounds like they had plans to make it electric...)