Vauxhall Ampera

Vauxhall Ampera

Recommended. The revolutionary Ampera actually feels like the new kind of car that it is. Shame its high price will put some off.

The Vauxhall version of the much-hyped Chevrolet Volt goes on sale here next spring, and has finally appeared here in finished form. Europe's versions are branded Vauxhall or Opel (hence the Opel badging on the car you see here) and get unique front and rear exterior styling compared to the Volt, but are otherwise identical to Chevrolet's range-extender. Range-extender? Yes, this is a car that overcomes the biggest single drawback of electric cars like the Nissan Leaf, the distance it can travel on a fully charged battery - up to 100 miles in the Leaf's case, 40 to 50 for the Ampera - extendable by an on-board petrol engine to combat the so-called range anxiety that threatens the karma of conventional electric car drivers. The Ampera's 1.4 litre petrol engine generates enough charge to prevent the battery from depleting any further (bad for its life expectancy) while supplying enough energy to drive its electric motor.

The result is a car that can travel well over 300 miles without needing to see either or power point of a petrol pump, a convenience that makes it as flexible a conventional car. In fact, Vauxhall reckons that most owners will need only battery power for more than 80percent of trips, making the Ampera a zero-emission vehicle for much of its life. When the petrol engine does run, it puts out only 40g/km of CO2, far lower than for any hybrid car currently on sale. The electric motor driving the Ampera produces 150bhp and a fat slug of instant torque that enables the Vauxhall to break 62mph in under 9.0 seconds and reach a limited top speed of 100mph. The top speed is limited because the battery would otherwise drain faster than the petrol engine can replenish its charge.

If the Ampera feels like it's been a long time coming, GM gradually revealing more of the inner workings and the look of what is almost certainly the most radical car it has ever produced. In fact, this extended-range electric car is still a way off us Brits, because it does not go on sale here in right-hand drive form until early next year, whereas Americans shopping for the near identical Volt have been able to buy it through most of 2011. In terms of size the Ampera sits between the Astra from which its inner structure and suspension is developed, and the larger Insignia. It's a five door hatch, but unusually has only four seats because the battery pack steals the space that fifth seat would occupy. For many this drawback will matter little, especially as the rear seats fold to extend the boot.

This is a highly advanced and ground-breaking car, it's systems so costly that as with the early Prius, its manufacturer will make a loss on every example sold, GM's aim being to win valuable market share with this new kind of electric car. Given the early reliability demonstrated by the sister Volt so far, that is to the benefit of anyone lucky enough to own an Ampera.