Opel Unveils New Ampera – And it Looks Really Good
I wasn’t expecting to be impressed with the new Opel Ampera (the Chevy Volt’s European cousin). In fact, I was convinced I would find something dull, unimaginative and lacking in technical innovation.
But instead, I believe that I’ve actually found the only serious contender to replace the Audi A3 TDI that’s sitting on my driveway right now.
This week GM invited Gas 2.0 to witness the unveiling of the Opel Ampera, to go on sale in Europe in 2011.
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The Ampera not only looks great but features genuinely innovative technology, which according to GM vice Chairman Bob Lutz will ‘leapfrog the competition’. With a 16 kWh advanced lithium ion battery pack the Ampera has a battery range of 60km – not far, but far enough to satisfy the average daily requirement of 80% of German drivers – after which the gasoline powered engine begins to generate electricity enabling a total range of 500km.
GM’s Frank Weber, engineering lead on the Voltec drive train which underpins the Volt and the Ampera goes to some length to explain how this approach differs from the competition. Instead of driving the wheels directly with an option for electrical assistance (as is the case in the majority of today’s hybrids), the Voltec engine generates electricity only, allowing it to operate in the most efficient part of the fuel map while the power transmission is entirely electric. The result is an estimated running cost only 1/5th that of similarly sized conventional cars.
However, what’s most impressive is the passion and enthusiasm demonstrated by the Opel team for this product. In the Ampera they have created a stunning yet practical car which ticks every box on my A3 replacement list.
In short, it is one of the few cars that I saw at this year’s Geneva Motor Show which inspires a genuine feeling of desire – of the kind that makes one forget the poor economic arguments for cars in a country well served by public transport, and makes you just want to write the cheque and own it.
The Ampera is on my shopping list..
More Images
Fast Facts:
- 220 lithium-ion cells
- Nearly silent electric drive unit delivers 370 Nm of instant torque
- Equivalent of 150 horsepower,
- Zero to 100 km/h acceleration in around nine seconds, and a top speed of 161 km/h.
Images © GM Corp, with permission.
An excellent middle step toward a fully electric vehicle.
The issue is really pollution and it’s effects on human health, especially in cities. Here in London, jams are extremely common with everyone sitting there spewing out carcinogenic fumes while not moving. Fully electric drivetrains backed up by an IC optimised for power generation is spot on and all manufacturers should follow suit.
If you can plug it in all the better, but for many people living in city apartments for example this is not feasible unless you can access a charge point at work etc.
A move in the right direction for this planet and our children.
Regards to all.
[...] Opel Unveils New Ampera
For all those who say the European version is sooo much better than the American version (Chevy Volt), simply go to the GM website and search for the Volt. You will discover the ONLY difference is the front and rear bumpers and parking lights…. nothing else! However, both are awesome cars.
[...] Opel Unveils New Ampera – And it Looks Really Good - “I wasn’t expecting to be impressed with the new Opel Ampera (the Chevy Volt’s European cousin). In fact, I was convinced I would find something dull, unimaginative and lacking in technical innovation…” [...]
Jon - love the cat reference! It looks like a storm trooper’s mask from the front. Just couldn’t do white because of that!
BUT… can it be plugged in? GM killed their famous US car the EV1 because Oil companies, among others, did not like the idea of a car not dependent on oil.
I will not buy a car that limits me like that.
Fuel cells are not the answer, still impractical , expensive and dependent on a single fuel source.
I want a car that I can plug in and therefore choose my energy type. I also don’t want an I.C.E. in there, they breakdown and have load of moving parts, I don’t care how efficient they are.
I don’t understand why you’d say you weren’t expecting to be impressed? Have you not been following the development of the Volt? Or is it the typical bias we see so often against American automobiles. Granted they’ve earned some of that over the years, but when the engineers & designers are allowed to they’ve shown time-and-again they can produce first-class product.
Am I to understand there is no REGEN Braking and the ICE powers the BAT? Once full, does the BAT regain priority on cycle repeat? Does it have plug in capabilities/reversible to Generate Home Power?
When a car co. does that, then I’ll Be Impressed!:)
[...] move is likely to ruffle a few feathers amongst GM executives, who had grand plans that the Opel Ampera (the Chevy Volt’s European cousin) would become the first major player in the region, [...]
[QUOTE] Hybrid sceptic Ok, the hybrid drivetrain developped by Opel is efficient. But can you give some numbers about this gain when you use the IC motor to drive longer?
If you calculate, you can loose all the gain of this small IC motor-done-to-charge-the-battery if you have too many losses when you charge batteries(80, 90% efficiency?) and use an electric motors (90% efficiency). I just want to be convinced [/quote]
the idea of the volt / ampera
is that the car is used in PURE electric mode to / from work and the ICE only for trips etc so the efficiancy comes in the form of having a PLUG in electric car with range extending power