AMPERA – ELECTRIFYING LOOKS.

Sporty aerodynamics help maximize the driving range. The airflow around the fascia and outside mirrors has been optimized; the rear has a specifically designed spoiler and clean separation features.

Lightweight materials are used such as the clear polycarbonate covers on the front grille and the disk inserts on the 17-inch, five-spoke sport alloy wheels. These help to reduce aerodynamic drag in critical airflow areas.

Dramatic, boomerang-like headlights seamlessly integrate with the lower fog lights. The car has a dynamic low stance seen most prominently in the front and tail. The bold new Opel logo is emblazoned on the front grill and the chrome bar across the back.

Vertical slots in the outboard edges of the rear bumper give the car a low sporty look. Its unique Pearl White Diamond color with matching rocker panels and rear bumper underline the dynamic appeal of the car.

New high quality and high-tech materials set the tone inside the Opel Ampera. Good all-around vision, a driver-focused cockpit, ample space, head and legroom for 4-adults and a basic luggage volume of over 300 liters have been re-thought to give an outstanding travelling and driving environment.

The interior décor which features a unique Jet Black design combined with Spice Red accents and Dark Argent Metallic paint on the instrument panel’s center stack.

The doors’ décor picks up on the car’s electric nature through the use of iconic themes. With an integrated shifter, two information displays and touch-sensitive infotainment center, the Ampera delivers an all-electrical user experience.

The Opel Ampera can be plugged into any household 230V outlet for charging. Energy is stored in a 16-kWh, T-shaped lithium-ion battery pack. The battery pack powers the electric drive unit, which can provide full vehicle speed and acceleration performance for 40 to 80 kilometers.

For longer trips, the Ampera's on-board range-extending engine is used to drive an electric generator. The range extender, which is powered by gasoline, can generate additional electricity to power the car for more than 500 km.

While the majority of conventional hybrids (hybrid-electric vehicles or HEVs) out on the road today use nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery technology, the Opel Ampera is powered by a 16-kWh lithium-ion battery pack comprised of more than 200 lithium-ion cells. Lithium-ion batteries provide nearly two to three times the power of a NiMH battery in a much smaller package. It also offers a higher energy-to-weight ratio, an important consideration in automotive applications since excess mass affects efficiency. Lithium-ion batteries suffer little or no memory effect and also have a low loss of charge when not in use so they will hold their charge when they’re parked in the lot at the office.

With the Opel Ampera you can go 40 – 80 kilometers on battery only and more than 500 km extended range with the 1.4 liter 61 kW (82 hp) gasoline-fueled electricity generator.

You will not be left stranded by an empty battery. When the battery’s energy is depleted, a gasoline-fueled engine-generator provides electricity to power the electric drive unit while simultaneously sustaining the charge of the battery.

The electric drive unit delivers 370 Nm, zero to 100 km/h acceleration in around 9 seconds, and a top speed of 160 km/h. Driving electrically is great fun: the instantaneous, nearly silent torque under your right foot feels like flying.

For journeys between 40 and 80 kilometers the Opel Ampera runs on the electricity stored in the 16-kWh, lithium-ion battery and emits zero CO2. When the internal combustion engine is used to supply the drive unit with electricity, it runs with in efficiency-optimized revolution bendwidths, which makes it more efficient than a normal car engine.

Freedom. That’s what the private car has given us. The freedom to go where we want, whenever we want. So electric cars that could leave you stranded, without power, after a limited number of kilometres, just don’t add up. Our lives are built around the freedom that we have grown used to.

Whether it’s the daily commute, the school run, a business trip or the family vacation, using the air conditioning or infotainment systems, choosing the right electric car means making a choice that does not compromise the lives we live. That’s the Opel Ampera. It has five doors, seats four in comfort, has a very useful luggage carrying capacity, and, thanks to its on-board generator, will never leave you stranded. A change? Yes. But only for the better.

The Ampera comes with everything you need for charging at home, at the office or on the road. The standard charging cable and vehicle plug is always on board in the trunk and can be plugged into any standard wall socket.

Ampera’s state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery can be recharged from a 230 V/16 A standard household power supply in just 3 hours. There are also two different types of cord sets available as accessories. There is a wall mounted cord set for your garage and a practical mobile cord set with retractable extension cord function. There is even a special storage compartment under the trunk floor where you can put the charging cord.

Cross Europe there are plans to develop a network of public charging points for electric cars, at the roadside and in car parks. So the ability to be always driving under electric power is becoming increasingly realistic. The German Federal Government is looking to have one million electric vehicles on the road by 2020. With its National Electromobility Development Plan, Germany has put the wheels in motion. But in order to travel faster on the road to the future, the public and private sector will step up their efforts.

Here is a collection of links to help you find charging stations for your Ampera when you are on the road.

Numerous measures have been taken to help prevent safety issues - namely short circuiting and overheating - that have occurred in lithium-ion batteries used in consumer electronics. Rigorous testing of the lithium-ion battery packs in battery labs and on the road in the development process has not revealed any safety or performance issues. The Ampera uses battery technology from LG Chem. Their exclusive Safety Reinforced Separator consists of semi-permeable membranes separating the electrodes in the cells, which are mechanically and thermally superior to commonly used separators. Primary as well as backup battery pack controls regulate voltage, current state of charge and temperature.

Automotive batteries operate in a rugged and hostile environment with the expectation they will last the life of the vehicle. Opel is currently testing battery packs in the lab and engineering development vehicles. This testing will help to better understand how these packs will operate in real-world driving conditions, including extreme hot and cold climates: The Opel Ampera’s battery cell is encased in a polymer-coated aluminum package. This thermally efficient and safe package is designed to be more forgiving under harsh conditions and help reduce the cost and complexity of the battery cooling system. For more information see the Battery technology section.