Vauxhall Ampera

The world is changing, and with it our way of thinking - about the environment, sustainability and mobility. It is time for a new mobility concept: the revolutionary new Vauxhall Ampera.

When you drive an Ampera you'll notice a powerful difference from conventional cars. Step on the accelerator and with the instant torque under your right foot you could almost be flying. Only more quietly.

Ampera Experience
It's different from other advanced propulsion systems - it uses electricity to drive the car's wheels at all times and speeds. And since the average UK driver drives 25 miles or less a day, the Ampera was designed to travel 25-50 miles on battery power alone with zero tailpipe emissions*.

To do this, General Motors had to create the cutting-edge, 16-kWh, lithium-ion battery that is the heart of the Ampera. But what happens when the battery runs low?  At that point, a small petrol engine generator starts up - the Range Extender. It seamlessly and efficiently provides electricity to power the electric drive unit. If you're listening carefully you might just hear it when it starts, but you won't feel any change at all. All that electric motor smoothness and torque is still there, because that's what's delivering power to the wheels. Excess generated electricity does not go to waste, it's stored in the battery. The Ampera is equipped with regenerative brakes, which means that additional energy captured during braking is converted into electricity and is also stored in the battery pack.

The nearly silent electric drive unit packs quite a punch - delivering 370 Nm of torque and 111 kW of electric power.  That's the equivalent of 150 horsepower and propels the Ampera from 0 to 60 miles in under nine seconds with a limited top speed of 100 mph.  The acceleration of the Ampera's 150HP electric engine is comparable to a strong 6 cylinder 250HP turbodiesel.  It has full torque from zero speed. A petrol engine has to rev up to 3000-4000 rpm to reach that performance.  You'll be surprised how much fun electric driving can be.

Ampera Design
Sleek, sculpted and precise - the Ampera is stunning and features Vauxhall's award-winning design language - plus a dramatic splash of the Flextreme and GTC Concept show cars. In the front, the dramatic, boomerang-like headlights instantly catch the eye, flowing seamlessly into the lower fog lights.

The car has a dynamic, almost aggressive low stance. The bold new Vauxhall logo is emblazoned on the front grille and the chrome bar across the back. Sleek aerodynamics help maximise the driving range and lower emissions. Engineers and designers have worked hand in hand to ensure a maximum of aerodynamic efficiency, so the airflow around the front fascia and outside mirrors has been optimised. Vertical slots in the outboard edges of the rear bumper give the car a low sporty look and support its highly efficient aerodynamic performance by creating a clean separation feature for the air.

Lightweight materials have been used throughout: such as the clear polycarbonate covers on the front grille and the disk inserts on the 17-inch, five-spoke sport alloy wheels.

Cost effective
Electric driving is cost effective . We estimate that an electrically driven mile in the Vauxhall Ampera will cost about one-fifth the price of a mile driven in a conventional combustion engine-powered vehicle . It is expected that it will cost about 0.02p per mile to drive electrically vs. £0.11 using petrol priced at £1.30 per litre.

We estimate that an extended range electric car will save about 1,700 litres of fuel per year based on 25-50 miles of daily driving  (15,000 miles per year).  Or if you drive 60 miles per day (21,900 miles per year)  you could save about 1,900 litres of petrol annually (compared to a vehicle that averages 36.2 mpg). We estimate that on average it will cost around £1 at night for a full charge that will deliver up to 25-50 miles of electric driving.*

* Based on UK average prices for fuel and electricity. Those may vary by
region

Ampera Models
At launch two Ampera model specifications will be available : the Positiv and the Electron. Both vehicles are driven by the same powertrain, have the identical efficiency and only differ in their internal specification.

How is the vehicle treated for VED and Benefit in Kind tax?
The combination figure of 27g/km is that used to base Benefits in kind and Vehicle Excise Duty. Therefore with Ampera receiving a 50% reduction in the Percentage of the Car's List Price, the 10% BIK reduces to 5% and the VED is Band A, £0 in year one and subsequent years.

UK Government Plug-in Car Grant:
Ampera is a qualifying ultra-low emission car and is therefore eligible for a maximum Grant of £5,000.

Designed to reduce whole life costs to early electric vehicle customers, both private owners and businesses can benefit from the Plug-In Car Grant when purchasing an Ampera and registering it in the UK.

Charging the Ampera at Home:
The Ampera comes with a 6-metre long portable charging cable that can be used to charge the car from a 240v domestic 3-pin socket. However, Vauxhall recommend that customers have their home wiring and the socket from which they intend to charge their Ampera from, checked by a qualified electrician before doing so.

Customers may typically want to charge their vehicles overnight, taking advantage of Off-Peak electricity tariffs. Ampera allows customers to set up this "delayed" charging on the central touchscreen display. When plugged-in overnight the car can be set to pre-condition the Battery Pack to optimum operating temperature and warm/cool the vehicle interior to a preset temperature too, based on the programmed departure time of the driver.

Some customers will live in areas of the UK where the Government Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) have made grants available for the installation of Electric Vehicle Charging Points.

This really is an innovative and beautiful car.  Give us a call to arrange a test drive - 08000 66 55 43.  We expect to receive our demonstrator at the end of April 2012.