First Pre-Production 2012 Opel Ampera EV Rolls off the Line

The first pre-production 2012 Opel Ampera, or the European market version of the Chevrolet Volt, rolled off the line at GM's assembly plant in Warren, Michigan, on Friday, April 23, marking an important milestone in the project.

General Motors said that the it build more pre-production Amperas in the coming months. The pre-production vehicles will not be sold at dealerships, but used for testing and validating the production intent design as well as developing the final vehicle software and control.

"We're right on target for producing the Ampera for European markets later next year," said Andrew Farah, Vehicle Chief Engineer for the Ampera "There's still work to be done, but being able to drive an Opel Ampera off our pre-production line is a great accomplishment for the teams here and in Europe."

The Opel Ampera is the sister car to the Chevrolet Volt sharing the same extended-range electric drivetrain, interior and basic sheet metal, but with some minor unique styling cues up front and at the back of the car.

Like the Volt, it can deliver up to 60 kilometers of pure electric
driving before a small displacement petrol engine /generator kicks in to recharge the battery and extend the range to more than 500 kilometers. It is scheduled to go on sale in Europe by the end of 2011.

Geneva Show: Opel Flextreme GT/E Concept for a Sportier Volt

If you find the Opel / Vauxhall Ampera and consequently the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrids a little too plain and boring for your tastes, then you ought to a look at this handsome conceptual proposal from GM's European arm.

The 4.7-meter long Opel Flextreme GT/E concept with its coupe-like proportions and suicide-style rear doors illustrates how GM's extended-range electric vehicle (E-REV) technology can be plugged into a larger size vehicle with a more emotional design DNA.

Despite its good looks, the concept model has been optimized for aerodynamic efficiency featuring among other things a pair of retractable spoilers hidden behind each rear wheel-arch that extend out 350-mm at speeds over 50 km/h or 31mph to guide high-speed airflow around the rear corners of the car, further reducing the amount of turbulence.

According to the Germans, the Flextreme GT/E achieves a projected drag co-efficient of just 0.22.

The study uses the Volt's E-REV drive system, meaning the front wheels are always driven by an electric motor producing 160HP (120kW) and 370Nm of torque with a 1.4-liter gasoline engine kicking in to supply electricity once the lithium-ion batteries are depleted.

Opel said that the Flextreme GT/E is estimated to offer performance similar to that of the Ampera with a battery-powered driving range of up to 65km or 40 miles and a total range of over 500km or 311 miles. Average fuel consumption is estimated at 1.6lt/100km or 147mpg US, with CO2 emissions of under 40g/km.

The five-door concept is said to be able to accelerate from zero to 100km/h (62mph) in less than nine seconds and achieve a top speed in excess of 200km/h or 124 mph.

2011 Opel / Vauxhall Ampera Plug-in Hybrid: Production Version of European Volt Spied Completely Undisguised!

The most enlightening spy photos of the production version of the 2011 Opel Ampera plopped in our inbox today. At first we thought it was just the concept model out testing, but a closer look at the completely undisguised Ampera with the German license plates revealed that this is the actual production model that's due to go on sale in Europe and the UK (as a Vauxhall) in late 2011.

A sister model to the North American Chevrolet Volt, the road-ready Ampera features a few minor styling tweaks and additions over last year's concept model (see pictures here).

At the front-end of the plug-in hybrid, we find a slightly revised front grille, relocated front turning signals, plain black decorative trim on the bumper and the addition of washers on the bonnet.

At the back, the boot lid spoiler has been extended and features a larger third-stop light, while the reflectors on the corners of the bumper have been pushed outwards and the diffuser on the bumper has been redesigned and incorporates center mounted lights.

The new alloy wheel designs, the addition of a fuel cap on the front fender, the larger and more practical exterior mirrors and the body painted rooftop complete the list of changes over the concept car.

A quick recap of the details we already know, the Ampera will use the same plug-in hybrid gasoline-electric drivetrain as the Volt. It mates a powerful electric motor and a 16-kWh, lithium-ion battery pack to a 75HP 1.4-liter gasoline engine.

But unlike conventional hybrids that use gasoline engines to power the wheels when the battery is depleted, the Ampera uses the petrol unit to generate electricity for the electric motor that always drives the (front) wheels.

Owners will be able to charge the battery pack with a home outlet and drive for about 64km or 40 miles before the gasoline engine-generator kicks in to extend the Ampera's range to more than to more than 300 miles or 480 kilometers.

While Opel has said that it will show the Ampera in Geneva, the German automaker did not clarify if it will present the concept or series-production model.

Opel Flextreme GT/E: Sporty Saloon Concept with Chevy Volt Powertrain

A conceptual study that demonstrates how General Motors' extended-range electric vehicle (E-REV) technology can be utilized in larger and more stylish cars than the Chevy Volt and its European twin, the Opel Ampera, will be the star of the German brand's stand at next month's Geneva Motor Show.

"The Flextreme GT/E concept shows the shape of things to come from Opel," says Frank Weber, Vice President, Corporate and Product Planning. "Bold, expressive and highly efficient, it represents the product strategy we will apply to all our future vehicles, large and small, across all market segments."

Described by Opel as a 'five-door coupe', the 4.7-meter (185-in.) long Flextreme GT/E concept that adopts the new Meriva's rear-hinged rear doors also illustrates a further development of the firm's current design language as seen on the Insignia, Astra and Meriva.

>But there's more than meets the eye about the concept model's design as the car achieves a projected drag co-efficient of just 0.22 helping it reach a 200 km/h-plus top speed as well as conserve energy and extend its driving range.

Stand-out features include a pair of retractable spoilers hidden behind each rear wheel-arch that extend out 350-mm at speeds over 50 km/h or 31mph to guide high-speed airflow around the rear corners of the car, further reducing the amount of turbulence.

Other highlights include the hidden door handles that are replaced by light sensors and the specially designed 21-inch alloy wheels fitted with relatively narrow 195/45, low rolling resistance tires.

Drive for the Flextreme GT/E concept comes from the Chevy Volt's powertrain that uses a an electric motor with 120kW / 160HP and 370Nm of torque to move the front wheels.

For journeys up to 60 km or about 37 miles, energy is supplied by a T-shaped lithium-ion battery pack located under the floor and rear seat.

Once the battery is depleted, a 1.4-liter gasoline engine / generator kicks in to supply electricity. In this mode, the driving range is extended to more than 500 km or 311 miles, until the plug-in battery pack can be recharged or the car is refueled.

Opel projects that the average fuel consumption of is estimated at 1.6 l/100 km, with CO2 emissions of less than 40 g/km, while the company supports that the study can go from zero to 100km/h (62mph) in less than nine seconds and achieve a top speed in excess of 200km/h or 124 mph.