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The Ampera is here as an example of technology that's managing to sneak under the social radar and win the green game by stealth. It combines a load of realistic green technologies to produce a car that's practical and easy to use (this really could be your only car), at a price - £29k - that's easy(ish) to swallow. It's a plug-in - with an EV-range of 50 miles, so it may never need to see a fuel station. But it's also an ER-EV, or Extended Range Electric Vehicle, so the 1.4-litre petrol engine is never connected to the wheels - it's there to drive a generator, just like the Fisker on p140, and allow for an all-up range of 310 miles on one tank.
The battery is guaranteed for 150k miles or 10 years. With a full charge, it'll do the equivalent of 175-odd mpg and 40g/km CO2. So this is exciting new tech in a normal, useful package. An EV without the range anxiety. A green car without the sense of self-righteous anger. The future's bright. The future's quite subtle.
Read this and much much more in our huge new Awards issue of TopGear magazine, on sale now
Open Car Bar
What do you think?
Want to comment on this?
wrxblue22 commented on this article
at 01:00 pm on 23 December 2011
Why the ampera? The volt is 450 pounds cheaper, and it has standard leather seats.
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8thgear commented on this article
at 01:02 pm on 23 December 2011
As with all these vehicles: what's the environmental impact of producing that battery and that electricity? Strangely those trying promoting our guilty feeling over driving our cars never talk about the pollution of creating batteries and electricity when they promote these cars. Similarly: where's the fun ?
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mingachimp commented on this article
at 01:27 pm on 23 December 2011
i stil think a bmw diesel engine would be better for the environment long term if you think about production etc and its more fun and faster plus i dont care about co2 etc just how much a car costs to run pence per bhp not mpg lol
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tgisepc23365 commented on this article
at 05:11 pm on 23 December 2011
I think that this car is quite nice but the chevrolet volt is better and it looks better than this.
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bobele23 commented on this article
at 06:12 pm on 23 December 2011
apperently Vauxhaul/Opel/GM holding back their Ampera/Volt, because of the Battery might catching fire. http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111212/COPY01/312129796/1193 Speed kills people,pfft yeah right. Eco Cars do ;)
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