Geneva Preview: Opel/Vauxhall Ampera officially looks better than Volt
Holden. Chevy. Opel. Vauxhall. These are the brands that we know will get a version of the plug-in Volt. Granted, the Europeans will call it the Ampera, but under all those models will be the Voltec technology that gives the sedan a 60-km (37-mile) electric-only range and a 500-km (310-mile) total range when the gas tank is filled up. At the Geneva Motor Show this week, General Motors announced that British Volt fans will be able to get a right-hand drive version of the Vauxhall Ampera some time after the Ampera’s production start in late 2011.
In Europe, GM is testing a vehicle plug-in infrastructure with utility company Iberdrola of Spain, among others. One difference between the Ampera and Volt is that most European outlets supply higher voltage, between 220v and 240v, instead of the 110v plugs commonly used in the U.S. How this affects the car’s charging time remains to be seen. See new pictures of the Opel- and Vauxhall-branded Amperas in the galleries below. If you only have time to look at one image, check out what they’ve done to the interior. Wow.
[Source: GM]