Opel has so far only confirmed that the Ampera-e will be fed by a flat battery pack mounted underneath the cabin floor.
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The Chevrolet Bolt, shown, and the Opel Ampera-e will share underpinnings.
The vehicle will be a five-seater, and will be manufactured by Opel, the company’s European division.
BOCHUM, Germany-Opel AG, the German arm of General Motors Co.( GM ), will launch production of Opel’s first all- electric auto in 2017, a variant of the Chevy Bolt, GM Chief Executive Mary Barra said Thursday.
The Opel Ampera-e could offer a range of nearly 300 miles when it launches in Europe next year.
As AutoExpress notes, the Bolt can do 200 miles on one charge, whereas rival Nissan Leaf (which arguably leads the affordable EV field at the moment) can only manage 155 miles, despite having a larger battery.
Vauxhall could add a new small electric auto to its model range, in the wake of an announcement from Opel, the company’s European sister brand, that it will launch such as vehicle next year.
The Ampera-e will also offer the personal connectivity and service assistant, OnStar as well as infotainment systems that will integrate smartphones and other electronic devices seamlessly.
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Vauxhall and Opel gave up on the range-extender Ampera, but the Ampera name is back to adorn a new all electric vehicle – the Vauxhall/Opel Ampera-e – scheduled to debut in the United Kingdom and Europe in 2017. Building on the electrification expertise established with the original Ampera, which set the benchmark for modern electric cars in 2011, the new Ampera-e combines innovative electric-mobility with state-of-the-art connectivity and exciting driving dynamics.
