Tuesday 27 January 2009

ELECTRIC-POWERED OPEL AMPERA FOR GENEVA


The first “baby” born of the Chevrolet VOLT is to be born in Europe and it will go by the name of Opel Ampera. The concept car is set for a public reveal at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show. Using VOLT’s Voltec technology the Ampera is said to be able to go for up to 60km (37 miles) purely on its lithium-ion battery. That distance is about the same distance as what the average South African, American and German motorist covers on his/ her daily commute to and from work.


When traveling longer distances a small petrol engine is used to charge the battery while the Ampera is in motion. A static recharge can be performed from a normal 230V home/ office plug.


Motor manufacturers like Opel and Chevrolet (both owned by General Motors) are feverishly working battery-powered cars so that electricity eventually replaces petrol and diesel.

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