Vauxhall-Opel Ampera debut

Replace the Opel badges on the car you see here for the familiar griffin and you have the first Vauxhall electric car to hit UK showrooms; the green motoring revolution really has begun.

What's all the fuss about?

This truly is a groundbreaking car and exactly the type of thing the American Government is looking for from under-fire GM - and the type of car UK politicians want us to drive, too. It's genuinely green and surprisingly good-looking - sharing many styling flashes with the GTC Concept car and, of course, the new Insignia saloon. To top it off, it also happens to be a practical family car.

What makes it so green?

Its revolutionary Voltec Propulsion System, which means the Ampera can run on zero-emissions battery power alone for up to 37-miles on a full charge, before a petrol-powered generator kicks in to extend that range to 311-miles. The generator isn't attached to the wheels, and the lithium-ion battery pack - which is also made by GM - can be charged from a 230v household socket. Performance is decent too: 0-62mph in nine seconds and 273lb.ft of torque from zero rpm.

When can I buy one?

GM reckons it will go into production in Europe in late 2011, which means there's a chance we won't actually see it alongside Astras until early 2012. By then, Vauxhall's competitors will no doubt have done some catching up, but for the time being parent company GM is blazing a trail for viable electric vehicles. It's too early for GM to talk about cost, but expect it to be competitive against almost-premium saloons like the Insignia.

Mark Nichol