Opel Ampera unveiled before Geneva
March 2, 2009 by George Skentzos
While Holden has confirmed it will adapt the US Chevrolet Volt for the local market in 2012, GM has released the first official image of the arguably more attractive Opel Ampera ahead of its global debut.
Essentially sharing the same underpinnings as the Volt, the Ampera has been redesigned to better suit the European market and the results are certainly striking to say the least.
The Ampera is an extended-range electric vehicle where the on-board petrol engine is only ever used to charge the battery rather than drive the wheels.
The result is potentially up to 60km of emissions-free driving between charges on battery power alone, or up to 500km using electricity from the on-board engine-generator.
This makes the five-door, four-seat Ampera a highly sustainable choice for European motorists whose driving habits perfectly suit the range of the vehicle.
Let us know which GM electric vehicle you prefer – the Volt or Ampera – by voting in the poll on the right.
Print it: 
Why can’t we get this instead?!
GM, how can you release a car now (2009) that looks like this in (2009) and then sell it in 2012? No wonder your going broke!
That FG F6 front end looks awesome.
Alice Cooper face!!!!
Sooo nice – If I could order one tomorrow I would. Thank god I’m in the UK where we’ll get this. Didn’t mind the Volt though.
haha GM, seriously no wonder you are going broke. WHY THE HELL RELEASE THIS CAR SO BLOODY LATE!
why the hell even show it off? its 3 years away! in 3 years its going to date in looks etc etc etc so much!
If you released this car tomorrow, I think your financial issues will have been solved.
Dear American car designers…. thats is how its done!
Definitely better looking than the Volt.
Be really good if Holden could build it at Elizabeth South, on the new Cruze platform.
Hmmm
GM = The worlds greatest lead times or the best promisers this side of electioneering politicians???????
Get real Jason – based on a Cruze platform will never happen, this is probably based on a new bespoke platform specifically for an electric powered vehicle.
Alice coopers face, lol.
Rick Wagnor singing to himself: “Welcome to my nightmare”!
The cruze platform is essentially the same as the volt/ampera.
ahh yes the delta II. thats the one. i dont know about the rest of you, but i want gm to recover. they may not get it right all the time, but they have some pretty strong brands and are developing better products. give us the ampera!
try iMotor for more photos and performance spec. I’ll probably get smacked legs by C A but there is more available.
Cruze,Astra,Volt,ampera all built on delta II.Hope holden changes its mind and brings this.it fits with the design language more
Not to mention, the Ampera is actually designed for Europe and not America.
Which means its designed with Right Hand Drive in mind, The Volt is not.
Thats the reason why we wont see the Volt here until later 2012.
If Holden had brains, they would be asking GM Opel for the Ampera instead, that means we could see it in 2011 not 2012.
Plus this looks soooo much better then the Volt!
If you get 500km buy using the engine to charge the batteries while you go. What sort of fuel consumption do you get?
I am guessing it would be significantly less than a regular petrol engine putting power straight to the wheels.
Would need to know the figure before buying one.
Not bad. Kinda looks like and FPV that’s just had its wisdom teeth out.
GM did the same thing with the Camero, showing it off 3 years before the production models roled off the line. Why release pics and concepts so soon, they build the hype and wonder why when it does get released people loose interest and don’t buy it. Not to say there competion have already brought out a more advanced competitor sooner…… Yes no wonder there company is going to the dogs. I must say the Ampera is alot better looking than the Volt. Note to American designers, take a leaf out of the european designers book, you might sell alot more cars, even the American consumer is saying this, are they all deaf at GM?
Just another little point. Just because the vehicle is designed for Europe that doesn’t mean that it will automatically be RHD! There are plenty of Euro cars that aren’t being done as right hookers because the market isn’t there. Just ask Fiat & Lancia for starters
Cupid, apparently I was being real…
:-)
Volt/Ampera could be built in Australia, as they are about to start production of a Delta II based car in 2010.
Oz could get either Volt or Ampera, hopefully the latter..
Stunned! Not by the Ampera, but by the blind anti-USA rhetoric spammed on here.
Now I’m not pro USA or GM by any means but I prefer the Volt styling.
However have any of you actually looked closely before sprouting. There are no sheetmetal differences, and I doubt few interior differences, and I bet virtually nil technical differences under the skin.
To suggest that this is designed for RHD and the Volt isn’t is pure fantasy – it’s the same bludy car.
This is the Volt with different bumbers and light clusters.
by 2012 I’d prefer to think the federal government will be supporting the introduction of hydrogen refuelling.
By then in the US, Honda’s clarity with any luck will be relegating battery hybrids to become the latest edsels/8 track players/beta videos and DVDs.
GM: promoting yesterday’s technologies