Features
11 fév 16

Opel to launch new electric Ampera-e in 2017

Opel will launch a new battery electric car in 2017. The new five-door, five seat with the trunk space of a car in the compact class, will be called “Ampera-e” and will be built for the European market. The Ampera-e will be driven by a battery pack being mounted flat, under the vehicle floor. Opel states that the Ampera-e will have a longer range on a full charge than most electric cars today, and it will be affordably priced.

Building on the electrification expertise established with the original range-extended electric Ampera that was launched in 2011, the new Ampera-e should combine electric-mobility with connectivity and driving dynamics. The Ampera-e will also offer the connectivity and service assistant, Opel OnStar.

The development of the new electric Opel car fits into the model offensife of the German brand, launching 29 new models between 2016 and 2020.

Announcing the Ampera-e GM Chairman & CEO Mary Barra said: “GM and Opel have always been convinced that electric cars will play a defining role in future mobility. The game-changing technology of the Ampera-e is a significant step toward realizing that vision. Our new battery electric car is also another boost for Opel’s reputation for making innovative engineering widely accessible.”

Trends like urbanization and protecting the environment also call for new kinds of mobility and alternative propulsion systems. “Electric vehicles have the potential to make a significant contribution to climate protection and emissions reduction”, says Opel group CEO Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann. “The new Opel Ampera-e will open the road to electric mobility by breaking down the barriers of high price and short driving range.”

Picture copyright: Opel, 2016

Authored by: Steven Schoefs