2012 Opel Ampera Electric

Opel Ampera Electric Car Excels in Real-world Driving Range Test

• Automotive journalists compete in energy-efficient 'Eco Drive Contest'

• More than half achieve Ampera's stated maximum battery-powered driving range

Rüsselsheim. At the Opel Ampera's international media presentation in The Hague, Netherlands, last month, more than one thousand journalists had an opportunity to assess the vehicle prior to its launch at the end of the year. One of the tests in the event's 'Eco Drive Contest' involved optimizing the Ampera's driving range in pure battery-powered mode by using an energy-efficient driving style.

According to the car's technical specifications, it is possible to cover a distance of up to 80 kilometers in pure electric drive mode on a single charge of the 16 kWh lithium ion battery. The results achieved in normal road traffic conditions were extremely convincing: almost 60 percent of the journalists completed the 73 km test route on battery power and nearly a quarter had sufficient power left to cover at least a further 10 kilometers, according to the vehicle's range indicator. The most efficient driver could have driven a total distance of 95.3 kilometers on battery power alone – roughly 15 kilometers more than the Ampera's stated maximum battery-powered range.

None of the participants risked running out of battery power en route because the Ampera's range-extender, a 1.4-liter gasoline engine, is used to generate power for the 111 kW/150 hp main electric motor if the battery becomes depleted. In this way, the four-passenger vehicle is the first electric car from a European manufacturer that is entirely suitable for everyday use due to a total driving range of more than 500 kilometers.

Assistance functions support efficient driving

The Opel Ampera is not only dynamic on the road and fun to drive. It also makes it easy for the driver to save power. Various functions provide assistance in achieving a particularly energy-saving driving style. They include an efficiency indicator in the Driver Information Center (DIC) and an 'efficiency tips' function with valuable advice on how to reduce energy consumption and achieve maximum driving distances.

The economy contest among European motoring journalists will be recognized at the Frankfurt International Motor Show in September: the top performers will be honored for their efficient driving at an awards ceremony.

Source - Opel

Five Euro NCAP Stars for the Opel Ampera

• Electric vehicle meets highest safety standards

• Exceeded maximum needed for top rating in every test category

• First car to score maximum points in side pole impact

Rüsselsheim. The Opel Ampera has been awarded five stars by the independent consumer organization Euro NCAP (European New Car Assessment Programme). With this, the first electric vehicle from a European manufacturer suitable for everyday use achieved the maximum safety level, joining the current Opel models also tested by Euro NCAP. The Opel Ampera scored more than the maximum points needed to achieve the top rating in all categories including occupant protection, child safety, pedestrian protection and safety assist. The five-door sedan also turned out top results in the side barrier test. The best values the Ampera achieved here are thanks to the combination of solid core body structure, rigid passenger cell and efficient restraint systems.

'It has been a long tradition at Opel to offer highest possible safety standards, and the Ampera impressively continues our leadership role in safety technology. The Ampera not only meets but exceeds the most stringent requirements for top ratings in each of the Euro NCAP test categories. This is a unique achievement we are very proud of', says Opel Chief Executive Officer Karl-Friedrich Stracke.

The Ampera is the first car tested by Euro NCAP to score maximum points in the side pole impact test that has been mandatory since 2009. In this test, the car tested is propelled sideways at 29 km/h into a rigid pole that simulates a tree. Thanks to the outstanding crashworthiness and stiffness of the Ampera's core body structure, occupants are very well protected. Crash impact protection is provided by an extremely rigid passenger cell. It has been designed to ensure the least possible deformation and the largest possible survival space in the event of a crash. To help dissipate high impact forces, the front, sides and rear of the passenger cell are protected by energy absorbing zones that deform in a controlled manner.

The electrical safety of the car was also checked after all the impact tests. The battery pack of the Ampera, comprising 288 cells in nine different modules, is located in the center of the vehicle, and the vehicle structure is built around it. Thanks to the clever vehicle structural design, the battery pack, is efficiently protected from both front and side crash impacts and remains in its location. While post-crash electric safety aims to achieve absence of high voltage, in an emergency, the high voltage battery pack can be easily disconnected by rescue parties. After a crash, the Ampera is required to have no electrolyte spilled into the passenger compartment, and no more than seven percent of the electrolyte can be found outside the passenger compartment and the battery.

Active and passive safety features on the Ampera include:
• Standard Four-wheel Anti-lock Braking System, Traction Control, Electronic Brake-force Distribution, Brake Assist and Electronic Stability Control

• Eight airbags including front-, side- , knee- air bags as well as roof-mounted head-curtain air bags that help protect occupants in a side or rollover crash

• Optional rearview camera system featuring a display integrated into the navigation system screen

• An ISOFIX child seat installation system for the rear seating positions

• Adjustable head restraints on the front seats which helps provide protection against whiplash injury in the event of a rear-end collision

• Collapsible pedal assembly (Pedal Release System) for lower leg protection in a frontal impact.

Electric mobility suitable for everyday use

The Ampera is the first electric vehicle to enable 'go anywhere at any time' mobility. The five-door sedan offers space for four adults and their luggage, and will be on the market at the end of the year. A 16 kWh lithium-ion battery pack feeds the 111 kW/150 hp electric drive unit. Depending on driving technique, terrain and temperature, it delivers between 40 and 80 km of pure electric operation with zero emissions. Independent research shows that this is perfectly sufficient to meet the daily needs of 80 percent of European drivers, who drive less than 60 km per day. Whenever the battery has reached its minimum state of charge, the gasoline engine automatically turns on and powers a generator to feed the electric drive unit. This extends driving range to over 500 km without the need to stop at a filling station.

Source - Opel