GM to launch electric car at Geneva
Chevrolet's electric 'range extender' vehicle, the Volt, is causing waves in the USA and now General Motors has announced that it will sell a version in Europe called the Ampera.
Set to make its debut at the Geneva Show this March, the Ampera will be marketed under the Vauxhall brand in the UK, with Opel badges adorning the car in the rest of Europe.
At the heart of the Ampera is GM's Voltec technology, which utilises lithium-ion battery power for propulsion and a conventional petrol engine as a generator of electricity.
The Ampera may be plugged into a regular mains electricity supply to charge the batteries too, which significantly reduces the cost per mile and, if the electricity comes from a source that doesn't use fossil fuels, reduces the amount of CO2 produced.
It's estimated that the electric-only range of the Ampera is nearly 40-miles, which is enough to cover most people's daily commute. However, allaying drivers' 'range anxiety' is the presence of a regular engine, which starts up automatically to charge the batteries when needed.
The Ampera shares the four-door, five-seat layout of its American cousin, though the styling has been updated to reflect the Vauxhall design language.
There is as yet no word on pricing or an on-sale date, but we expect to learn more at the Geneva Show on March 3rd.
Official Geneva Motor Show partner
Yahoo! Cars is the official 2009 media partner.
www.salon-auto.ch/en/