Ampera finishes UK road trip with energy to spare

Vauxhall’s range-extended model, the Ampera has successfully fulfilled its first journey on UK roads with energy to spare.

The electric car took a 175 miles journey starting yesterday morning at the carmaker’s plant in Luton and worked its way up the M1 and M6 motorways via Birmingham before arriving at the home of the Astra model at Ellesmere Port.

Every mile covered by the Ampera E-REV (Extended-Range Electric Vehicle) was electrically driven, yet on reaching Ellesmere, its range extender meant that it could travel still further. In full production guise, the Ampera would have made it back to Luton.

Its 350-mile potential range is made possible by the Ampera’s range-extender, a small petrol engine/generator that seamlessly cuts in after around 40 miles to sustain the battery’s charge. The battery then continues to power the Ampera’s electric drive unit, which in turn drives its front wheels.

Duncan Aldred, Vauxhall’s Managing Director drove the first leg of the journey, and was waved off by Griffin House staff at 10am yesterday morning.

“This is truly a red-letter day for Vauxhall,” said Duncan. “The Ampera will offer British motorists a groundbreaking solution to low emissions car ownership, and will prove that running an electric car no longer means being anxious about charge levels after the first few miles. What’s more, its performance and refinement will surprise motorists, as will its practicality – it’s a genuine proposition for green-thinking families and businesses alike.”

Tony Francavilla, Plant Director at Ellesmere Port, was optimistic about the car’s future in the UK: “The Ampera will re-adjust people’s attitudes toward electric vehicles as crude, slow and compromised. It’s none of these, yet has the potential to be used every day with zero tailpipe emissions, and without a trip to the filling station. Our workforce here at Ellesmere Port is right behind the Ampera, and we look forward to seeing it on British roads at the start of 2012.”