New Vauxhall Ampera
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Geneva: GM's design team has created a practical, efficient electric car that builds on Vauxhall's award-winning design direction, which led in part to the New Insignia?s European Car of the Year success. The Ampera offers excellent passenger space and futuristic equipment features in an aerodynamic, premium design package.
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VAUXHALL AMPERA GETS POWER AND REFINEMENT FROM ‘VOLTEC’ PROPULSION SYSTEM
- Extended-range of more than 300-miles relieves “range anxiety”
- Instantaneous torque – exciting power delivery
Geneva : T he revolutionary Vauxhall Ampera will be the first electrically driven automobile with zero-emission capability in Europe that’s suitable for everyday driving. With its Voltec electric propulsion system providing lively acceleration and high levels of refinement, t he five-door Ampera seats four passengers in comfort, offers a useful boot for their luggage, and features an extended range of more than 300-miles.
"Driving electrically is not only about ecology," said Frank Weber, GM global vehicle line executive and chief engineer. "Driving electrically is also great fun. Instantaneous torque of 370 Newton metres under your right foot feels like being in a sports car, but in almost complete silence."
Electricity drives the Ampera’s wheels at all times and speeds. For trips up to around 40-miles, power is supplied by the electricity stored in the 16-kWh, lithium-ion battery.
While driving on electricity delivered by the battery, the Ampera emits zero CO 2. When the battery’s energy is depleted, a petrol or E85-fuelled engine-generator seamlessly provides electricity to power the electric drive unit while simultaneously sustaining the charge of the battery. This mode of operation extends the range for several hundred additional miles, until the battery can be charged via a standard household 240v outlet.
Unlike a conventional battery-electric vehicle, the Ampera eliminates “range anxiety,” giving the confidence and peace of mind that the driver will not be stranded by a depleted battery.
“Advanced lithium-ion battery technology is the key to getting the Vauxhall Ampera into the hands of consumers”, said Hans Demant, GME vice president of engineering. “The engineers at our research and development centre in Mainz-Kastel , Germany , are testing the battery round the clock, 365 days a year, to ensure that it meets the needs and expectations of our customers.”
The Ampera's battery pack will be manufactured by GM at the first lithium-ion production facility to be operated by a major automaker in the United States . More than 220 lithium-ion cells in the T-shaped pack provide ample power. The nearly silent electric drive unit delivers 370 Nm of instant torque, the equivalent of 15bhp, zero to 60mph acceleration in around nine seconds, and a top speed of 100mph.
The Ampera will be well-suited to the daily driving schedule of most customers. For example, research by GM in Europe showed that approximately 80 percent of drivers travel less than 30-miles daily. Based on current fuel prices, Vauxhall predicts that the Ampera will cost roughly one-fifth of the current cost per mile of an equivalent petrol engined car.
PRELIMINARY TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS: Vauxhall Ampera
General
Vehicle type: |
5-door, front-wheel-drive |
Category: |
Extended-Range Electric Vehicle (E-REV) |
EREV competitors: |
None |
Chassis: |
independent McPherson struts front, compound crank twist axle rear, four-wheel disc brakes, full regenerative brakes to maximize energy capture, electric power-assist steering |
Seating capacity: |
Four |
Performance
Top speed (mph): |
100 |
EV range (miles): |
40 |
Dimensions
Wheelbase (in / mm): |
105.7 / 2685 |
Length (in / mm): |
177 / 4404 |
Width (in / mm): |
70.8 / 1798 |
Height (in / mm): |
56.3 / 1430 |
Cargo volume (cu ft / L): |
10.6 / 301 |
Battery system
Type: |
lithium-ion |
Energy (kWh) |
16 |
Electric drive unit
Power (kW / hp): |
111 / 150 |
Torque (lb-ft / Nm): |
273 / 370 |
Exterior
Tire and wheel size: |
specially developed low rolling-resistance tires on 17-inch forged aluminum wheels |
VAUXHALL AMPERA CONFIRMED FOR UK MARKET
- Electric car with 300-mile extended range
- Will be marketed as part of the Vauxhall range
- UK sales start in 2012, in right-hand-drive
Geneva : The revolutionary Ampera today celebrated its world premiere at the 79th Geneva Motor Show. General Motors Europe president, Carl-Peter Forster, announced that a right-hand drive Vauxhall Ampera would go into production in 2012.
“The Ampera further demonstrates GM’s leadership in the electrification of the automobile,” said Carl-Peter Forster. “Its ground-breaking Voltec electric propulsion system is the kind of game-changing technology the automotive industry needs to respond to energy and environmental challenges.”
The five-door, four-seat Ampera features Vauxhall’s new design language, first introduced on the 2009 European Car of The Year award-winning Insignia, incorporating several styling cues from the innovative Flextreme and GTC Concept show cars.
The Ampera’s wheels are turned electrically a t all times and speeds. For journeys up to around 40-miles, it runs on electricity stored in the 16-kWh, lithium-ion battery, and emits zero CO 2. When the battery’s energy is depleted, electricity from the on-board engine-generator extends the Ampera’s range to more than 300 miles.
The Ampera can be plugged into any household 240v outlet for charging. GM Europe is analysing the requirements of a recharging infrastructure for plug-in electric cars with energy companies, including Iberdrola of Spain, parent company to Scottish Power.
ELECTRIFYING LOOKS – THE VAUXHALL AMPERA.
- New Vauxhall Ampera features stunning design
- Sleek aerodynamics support emission-free driving
- Offers the comfort and luxury expected of a 21st century car
Geneva : GM’s design team has created a practical, efficient electric car that builds on Vauxhall’s award-winning design direction, which led in part to the New Insignia’s European Car of the Year success. The Ampera offers excellent passenger space and futuristic equipment features in an aerodynamic, premium design package.
“The Vauxhall Ampera shows all the opportunities advanced propulsion technologies offer for car design,” said Phil Zak, Director, Exterior Design at GM Europe. “We had to maximize the aerodynamic efficiency but still offer ultimate everyday driving comfort. All of that is presented in an upscale, sporty look that builds on Vauxhall’s theme of sculptural forms and expressive lines.”
The Ampera’s exterior design takes up cues from the Flextreme and GTC Concept show cars. For example, it features dramatic, boomerang-like headlights that seamlessly integrate with the lower fog lights. The car has a dynamic, almost aggressive low stance seen most prominently in the front and tail.
Vertical slots in the outboard edges of the rear bumper not only give the car a low sporty look but also play a key role in creating a clean separation feature for the air, supporting the highly efficient aerodynamic performance. Its unique Pearl White Diamond color with matching rocker panels and rear bumper underline the dynamic appeal of the car.
Aerodynamics, too, play a particularly important role in maximising driving range. GM engineers and designers worked together to optimise the air flow around the front fascia and outside mirrors of the Ampera. Significant attention was also given to the rear with a specifically designed spoiler and clean separation features. Lightweight materials were added in the form of clear polycarbonate covers to the front grille and disk inserts on the 17-inch, five-spoke sport alloy wheels. These helped to reduce aerodynamic drag in critical airflow areas.
The Ampera offers the space, comfort, and convenience features that customers expect in a car with five-doors, four-seats and luggage capacity of 301 liters. The interior features a Jet Black cabin combined with Spice Red accents and Dark Argent Metallic paint on the instrument panel’s centre stack.
“On the Ampera we’ve continued to challenge the norm and have searched for new and exciting color and material combinations,” said John Puskar, Director, Interior Design for GM Europe. “To support the car’s innovative character we’ve worked with experimental trims and paints that you will see more of in future Vauxhall models.”