The Opel Ampera makes its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in 2009.
Opel has officially begun taking reservations for the 2011 Ampera, Europe’s first extended-range electric vehicle. The near-twin of the Chevrolet Volt, which is just going on sale in the U.S., the Opel E-REV will go for about $59,000, depending on the market.
Opel is billing the Ampera as the best solution for reducing automobile emissions and dependency on petroleum. As in the U.S., the GM subsidiary is betting that by offering the ability to keep driving after its batteries are discharged will make Ampera remarkably easy to accept, Opel officials said, when compared to a conventional electric vehicle.
As with Volt, the five-door, four-seat Opel offering relies on a 16 kWh lithium-ion battery pack to give it approximately 65 kilometers (about 40 miles) of EV-mode range. Beyond that, its small 4-cylinder gasoline engine kicks in.
The manufacturer’s suggested retail price throughout Europe for the base Opel Ampera starts at 42,900 euros, including national VAT, or Value-Added Tax. That’s approximately the U.S. price, in dollars, but because of the current exchange rate, Americans would pay $59,000 for the Ampera.
But because local taxes and trim levels will differ from market to market, prices in each country may differ. And, as in the United States, there are national subsidies buyers may take advantage of. In Germany, for example, where the 19% VAT is forgiven on battery cars, the Ampera net price is 36,050 euros.
European customers wishing to reserve an Ampera can register at www.opel-ampera.com and become an ‘ePioneer’, receiving exclusive news and a chance to test drive the electric car.
(For a review of the Ampera’s American cousin, the 2011 Chevrolet Volt, Click Here.)
As with other battery cars, there’s an intense debate over how strong demand will be for the Ampera. A new study by J.D. Power and Associates (Click Here) suggests the technology will account for no more than 7.3% of the global market by 2020, though other studies argue for stronger demand.
The Power report, however, indicates that Europeans will be more interested in pure battery-electric vehicles than conventional hybrids. That could prove true for several reasons. The Continental market favors diesel technology, which often exceeds the fuel efficiency of hybrid power. And since Europeans generally drive shorter distances than Americans, they may be more comfortable with the limited range of pure battery-electric propulsion.
As with the Chevy Volt, the Opel Ampera will be offered in a number of global markets. In fact, both versions of General Motors E-REV technology will be offered in China, starting next year.