Vauxhall Ampera-e to hit UK roads as part of trial
As part of its commitment to electro-mobility, Vauxhall will be evaluating its new Ampera-e electric car in the UK.
Alas, despite the trials happening here, the bad news is the company doesn’t currently have any plans for the BMW i3 rival to be sold in the UK just yet.
As such a left-hand drive model will be available from 2017 and will be sold by Opel, Vauxhall’s sister company. The ray of light comes in the fact that the company hasn’t completely ruled out a right-hand version in the future.
The Ampera-e has a pure electrical range that can exceed 250 miles without recharging (based on the New European Driving Cycle) and, even taking into account the real world impact of driving style, road and weather conditions, the car is still expected to achieve a range of over 185 miles.
“Vauxhall is committed to having a future EV presence in its range,” said Rory Harvey, Vauxhall’s Chairman and Managing Director.
“The fact that Ampera-e is not an eco-luxury or second car for customers broadens its appeal greatly, but it’s obviously vital that the car we sell in our market is right-hand-drive, and that won’t be available in the current generation.”
On top of the class-leading range, the clever integration of 60kWh battery modules – located in the underbody and tailored to the contours of the vehicle - means that the 4.17 metre-long car can accommodate five people, yet still offer a 381-litre boot.
With maximum torque of 360Nm and power equivalent to 204PS, the Ampera-e’s standing-start and mid-range acceleration figures are on a par with many a sports car. Zero to 30mph takes a mere 3.2 seconds, while 50-75mph – a particularly important yardstick for overtaking performance – takes just 4.5 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 93mph for the benefit of overall range.
Like other models in the class, the Ampera-e has the ability to re-charge its batteries while being driven. By easing off the accelerator the Ampera-e recuperates automatically from the electric motor, which doubles as a generator.
This is further increased when the driver switches to ‘Low’ mode, and for maximum energy recuperation the driver can switch to ‘Regen on Demand’ via a paddle at the back of the steering wheel.
The Ampera-e electric car will be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show later this month, and we would definitely like to see it on UK roads in the near future.