Vauxhall Ampera - 10 Minute Review
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 25 июн 2018
- Today we get our hands on the ilusive Vauxhall Ampera. With less than 1300 on the UK roads they're difficult to track down. We've tested the car over 300 miles to provide real world range and MPG, interior specification and a general overview.
Кино
Having driven 68,500 miles in my Ampera I can vouch for how good they are. However they are not really a PHEV. The correct name, although little used, is an E-REV as the Ampera is an Extended Range EV. The difference is in how it drives in that it is always electrically powered. The engine is a generator recharging the battery rather than driving the wheels. It really does make a difference. It is also why there is a disconnect between engine noise and driving. The engine runs at a steady revs in one of three power bands, depending on how much power is required. This is where the comparison with the CVT Toyota comes in.
They are simply quite brilliant cars and I really miss mine
Thanks for that info - had a feeling it was like a train - ie engine produces electricity to drive the wheels hence more efficiency and good mpg :)
for the price, I will stick yo an old Vauxhall Vectra diesel
@@littleman9055 I went from a BMW 3-Series diesel to an Ampera, 1 of the best choices in life.😉
I love my Ampera. Its a great car and still people come up to me asking what it is. 55 miles on electric is my best. You learn how to drive it the longer you have it lol. Great review guys 👍
Richard Lawson 55, wow, I need some lessons. Incidentally, since we filed this I achieved 42 🤦🏼♂️ so my info is already out of date 😂😂
We have had our 2014 Volt for 4 years and like another person commented, the longer that you drive it, the more you learn to get the most out of it. Our lowest battery mileage has been about 42 miles in the 110 degree Arizona heat and the usual is 50 to 54 miles in the more "temperate" times of the year without A/C. Got 67 miles once on a downhill freeway section of Interstate 17 at freeway speed. We only use petrol when we leave town on a long freeway trip and then we average 40 mpg at 75 mph. The trick is NOT to use Hold on the freeway but use Mountain Mode. Then the engine will shutdown if you are on a long steep downhill and regen even if doing 70+. Then will continue to use battery until it is down to 50% of what ever full was when the trip was started and engine starts again. Also if checking acceleration don't use Hold. Use Sport Mode, you don't seen to gain anything by having the engine get into the mix.
If you think the rear view is limited on the version you drove, it is worse with the newer Volt with the redesigned body.
In the US the Volt is the perfect solution because charging stations are VERY few and far between. I have to drive over 250 miles just to get to the next charge point in three different directions. Even Tesla's have problems if you get off the Interstate FWY system. The closest Supercharger to the west is 127 miles where I stop for 2.5 gal. of fuel in the Volt. (used 50% of battery plus gas to get there)
I really would like the charge rate bumped up to at least 7.2KWh from the 3.3KWh and be able to go deeper into the battery headspace that GM setup. A stop for food or whatever only gets 12+ mph charge rate (if a charger is available, highly unlikely) even if on a 6.6KWh charge station.
Our engine runs so infrequently that the only time it runs is the every 6 week maintenance run to keep the oil, etc. circulated. We have solar panels that run the house so the Volt is running off "sun power" normally.
I could go on, but will end with, we love our Volt.
Hi James & Kate, well informed video. The Ampera was the European version of the Chevrolet Volt, which was actually launched in the US in November 2010. To think this cars technology is 8 yrs old, and is still better than most modern PHEV's!
I've had an Ampera for a year now and in that time have only driven using petrol 11 times. It is like having two cars in one - an EV for most days, I have no commute so lots of local trips and errands, meaning fully electric driving. Then for those longer trips it runs as a hybrid returning anything from 50 mpg upwards. I use the Hold mode on the longer trips so I can use the battery when in towns or in slow traffic. (And Sport mode now and then for a very rapid launch at traffic lights!)
As for EV range, I am managing just over 50 miles on a charge in this hot weather, on normal A & B roads and suburban driving. At 70 on the motorway I'd expect that to drop to the low 40s. Winter does hit range as with any EV, last winter I managed about 30-35 miles per charge. Pre-heating the car in the morning when plugged in helps greatly in the colder months, it's very satisfying to see the frost all melt away and to know the cabin won't feel like the inside of a freezer.
Considering it was designed as the Chevy Volt in 2007 onwards I think it still holds up well against other more recent plug-in hybrids, partly due to being over-engineered and partly because it was really designed as a Range-Extended EV, rather than just a normal hybrid. As someone else commented it has a 16.5 kWh battery but only 10.5 kWh is accessible, with good buffers at the top and bottom, also it has liquid thermal management, so the battery is very well looked after.
Such a shame the Volt gen 2 is not available here, with it's 5 seats, greater range and a whole host of other improvements.
I was under the impression they returned higher than 50mpg -i'm sure i've seen Jonny Smith ( fully charged ) report his doing 90mpg ?
I think you’ll find out that the 90mpg is total combined mileage. My display currently shows 250+mpg because I mainly drive on electric everywhere (I rarely go anywhere that’s more than 35 miles away), but if I started using the petrol generator then that mpg would start to come down.
Great video guys and a fair review for new drivers of this particular REEV. There is so,so much more you could have said which is why its got great dealer and owner write ups. This car is unofficially known a Vauxhall's best kept secret! I did a years research and bought a 2014 electron almost three years ago. As an engineer and car enthusiast this is actually a technological tour de force! As a concept its a no brainer, provides flexible use and ticks all the boxes for most people I would suggest. Use it as an all electric commuter, as I do, and on longer trips distances just use a few sips of petrol. Economy stats are phenomenal; fill up small 35ltr tank every 6 months giving 2000mls and 250+ mpg equivalent. Use it for longer journeys - battery power used up and it will switch over seamlessly to the eco- friendly 1.4 petrol engine providing 45 plus mpg for another 250 miles. When I collected the car the lifetime fuel economy reading was 144mpg, whilst the reading now is 156mpg.
The vehicle has (four) different driving modes available for different driving conditions. There is no gearbox and the constant variable transmission provides no noise or hesitancy and very swift acceleration.
Servicing, in my opinion is very cheap, petrol engine is simple and needs service every two years at reasonable cost. Nothing really to do the electrical systems. Interim service less than £100; no oil change required. Just had a major service at friendly local Swindon (Eden) dealer: cost less than £200 including oil change. Exclusivity, looks, driving experience - like other comments I could enthuse about it so much more. Oh, and did I mention the annual road fund tax is £0!
Good vid, and it's nice to see someone taking an interest in the Volt/Ampera. The reason (other than the price) that these didn't sell well is demonstrated really well by this video. People thought of it as a "PHEV" and hence imagined it would be the same as cars which are actually sold as PHEVs. To do that totally misses the point of the Ampera. It's nothing like any of those. It's a fully electric car for people that mostly do less than 40 or-so miles a day (which is an awful lot of people), with a range extender for those rare occasions when you need to go further. The crucial point is that there is no performance penalty for running all-electric. My round-trip commute is about 28 miles. I can drive as fast as I like, whenever I like and I can be certain the engine will never start on the commute, or on virtually all of my other journeys. I don't think you can say that of anything being sold as a PHEV. I think I've used about 10l of petrol in my last couple of thousand miles.
This is NOT a PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle), this is a EREV (extended-range electric vehicles) sometimes called REEV (range-extended electric vehicles). I think that the only other EREV on the market is the BMW i3 Rex but I think they make more sense than PHEV´s because they are really BEV with an onboard charger.
had mine 2 years and still in love - after 30+ cars this is the best I've ever driven. Amazing car
3.5 years, I'm totally with you on this, great car! Love getting into it each day, even after 44,000 miles
Another Ampera owner checking in! Love mine.
52 miles the other day, go Ampera :) Best car I've ever owned...
@@justphil2394 yep, you can own an ampera and never plug it in if you can't for whatever reason. Expect mid 30's mpg if you often do very short journeys of around a few miles. Expect 55-60mpg if you do long journeys. Toyota hybrid system will give better economy if you cannot plug the Ampera in.
@@justphil2394 Yes but that wouldn't be a good idea if you never want to plug in it's better to get a normal hybrid or even a non Hybrid
I love my Ampera. I drive 60 miles a day to work and back, 49 miles on electric in the warm weather 30 miles on the coldest days. I'm doing about 1100 miles between fuel tanks. It's well made, comfortable and a rocket off the line. Everyone needs a car like this!
If you think the Ampera is rare try owning a Chevy Volt :-). Made at a time where charging points were as rare as hens teeth and the 1st gen Nissan leaf just could not cut it as a car (for me), the Volt/Ampera was, and to some extent still is, the most practical EV out there. Modern PHEVs (from BMW etc) are a cynical attempt to improve fuel economy figures in a post-diesel world. I really love my Volt (my favourite CAR - not just EV - ever) and have decided to keep it until I can't get it repaired anymore. I would recommend one 1000% to anyone within reasonable distance of a service centre. Thanks for the videos guys. Always fun and interesting.
I test drove my friend Graham’s and loved it. He gets around 42 miles pure EV range on average. That’s a mixture of motorway and town driving.
I agree I wasn’t marketed very well on release and was over priced.
Mark Gaudie Founder of Northwest England EV Owners réal shame because this a EV converter/stepping stone for sure
James and Kate you can pick up some tidy used ones for around £10k too. Great buy I think for anyone who is too scared to go full BEV or needs the extra stress free miles. I know you have to replace the battery coolant once every couple of years. Just don’t let Vauxhall do it. Around £400 they charged. But you can get us done for as low as £200 if you shop around.
Another great video guys, always love your music 😜 I saw loads of these last week in the Netherlands. 4 seats put me off but good car.
John vanDieken I thank you for the awesome music John, I listen to it all the time 🙏🏼
In 2014 when I was looking for a new car I went to the local (Ipswich) Vauxhall dealer as they had an Ampera in the showroom. Have you ever gone into a car showroom and been ignored, I was. I had a good look around the car and when I managed to get someone from sales to talk to me and was told I couldn't buy one there. I should go to a dealer in Peterborough to order one, a round trip of about 200 miles. So no sale and that is why they are rare on the road.
That rubber lip at the front can be changed at Vauxhall for a smaller one, think it cost me £100 well worth the money. Mine is the same as the one you reviewed but 2015 with 19” wheels looks so much nicer and made no real difference to the range or the ride. I’ve only filled the tank twice in the two years I’ve owned it. Best car I’ve ever owned, still smile every time I go past a petrol station. 😊
Ian Corner Or take it off completely. When I bought mine (used) 3,5 years ago, the previous owner had removed it already.
Good video, and an even better typo in the thumbnail! Thanks James and Kate.
Great vid guys. The Volt here in NA is still very popular and the new model is even better than the previous. It’s a great way to get into a plug while reducing any battery-only EV fears.
Great Video I've my for over one Year and over 20k km. As for me, I have never been so happy with a car as with the Ampera👍
Great review.
I’ve owned my 2012 (on a 14 plate), for over two years now and had no issues with it (apart from the dreaded steering lock issue lol). The only time my engine comes on is when it tells me it needs to, to keep the engine lubricated. Lol. I work 18 miles away from home and we have charging points at work, so I drive electric both ways.
I do agree with the average of 35-38 miles on a full charge. I normally average around 3 miles a KW, and that’s doing speeds ranging between 30-70 on the 18 mile commute. Obviously uses a lot less electric driving round town at low speeds between 20-50.
It’s not a PHEV, it’s an EREV. You can run it on either electric or petrol up to it’s max speed of 100mph and the petrol engine acts as a generator, which puts charge into the battery and doesn’t drive the wheels. Not the most efficient way but it’s ok. It’s also congestion charge exempt due to the 27 CO2 rating.
I have a charger at home and it takes about 3.75hrs from empty with a 3.8KW charger. Through the plug-in charger can take about 8hrs at 1.8KW.
I bought mine for £12,500 with 33,000 on the clock and it still has a couple of years left on the 8yr battery warranty. Serving costs are the same as a normal car from Vauxhall, however only certain dealers service the Ampera. I’m blessed that I have one in my city.
I think this car was brought out way too early. If it was brought out today with obviously updated tech, it would sell loads because of the EV market today.
@DerekNicol that ICE connection to the wheels will only occur under full throttle @ over 70mph if the car thinks it needs it like in Sport Mode. It's very rare that it does it and is not a normal driving operation.
Also the ICE is still assisting the primary electric motor which always drives the wheels. The range extender only makes 85hp.
The Volt/Ampera will reach the 101mph limit with battery only.
A damn fine review, makes me want one of these. It would appear that your negatives of the car a just 1st world problems, makes me want one even more!
Finally an Ampera. Owning a '13 Volt I really appreciate an honest review of the Ampera.
Some other things worth mentioning.
It makes almost identical power wether on battery or range extender.
Top speed governed at 101mph.
Can regen up to 60kw.
Mountain Mode can recharge up to half the battery and maintain it for long uphill runs.
There was a second option for the front skirt that was shorter in the middle for less scrapage.
Oh! Almost forgot. The battery management system is very robust. Liquid cooled and heated early Volts are still getting better than the rated range including my 2013. No need to do anything special just plug it in whenever you want. Battery management is built in.
I'm thinking of getting the shorter front skirt as mine scrapes on many speed humps. It is very robust and I don't think it harms it being scraped, but the noise startles people when the car is so quiet otherwise!
I saw a video with a GM engineer who said the front air dam (skirt) adds 5% to the range. For that I can live with the speed bump scraping.
When I bought my (used) Ampera 3,5 years ago the skirt was already completely removed.
Hi James and Kate, I also did test drive in this car about a year ago. I was impressed by the tech and the performance. I just thought it was a bit dated to be honest in spite of the very clever things that are going on in front of you and unseen. My main worry was longevity of this fabulous but obsolete car. How would the automotive sector cope with any issues I had with this car in the longer term. Great Vid BTW.
nice car, thanks to bring it back onto my radar screen
Nice review. I was seriously considering one of these a few years back but I guess the compromise of still having a petrol engine to service put me off. The fact that they are so rare was a plus point for me and it is pretty good looking car too. New they were very expensive but after a year they seemed to be less than half the price.
Bought one used, Fabulous, makes so much sense, as pure EVs are not efficient on motorways, hence why the petrol option is a great bonus.
Just glides along motorways effortlessly.
Do you have any maintenance issues, repair difficulties? I'm thinking about getting one, but I have concerns
@@Veghmester none, absolutely amazing reliable vehicles
@@thomasdepaor1518 thanks, that's good news, use it in good health!
I'm thinking about buying one, although it's age and possibly lacking maintenance support is giving me a pause
Thank you for this review. Glad you noticed the absolute advantages of this car. Its two cars in one. People tend to get the concept of this car wrong. The same happened to me. You dont understand the beauty of this car unless you have driven it. Might call it overengineered in some places.
Nice video, the best thing about your videos is you two just chatting. Keep it loose and natural as if us your viewers were in the back seat just having a chat with you and you've got a cracking and fairly unique format. What is the range/mpg in the end?
Dan Gascoyne thank you 🙏🏼 MPG was quite unbelievable at 79 mpg and we achieved 42 EV miles on our second attempt 👍🏻
It's one of the best selling plugins in the U.S. especially in the used market.
There's also very little advertising here even for the second gen Volt which gets even more EV range and better fuel mileage.
Hi, I,ve had my 14 plate Electron for 2 years, I use it for my commute from Gloucester to Swindon 35 miles each way (this is mostly achieved without any petrol assistance). I also have the facility of charging it at work so it is absolutely @perfect@ for this return journey The car is extremely comfortable to drive, with its Bose sound system and integrated DAB radio it certainly helps with the tedium of the daily commute. It also has the flexibility of being able to complete a long distance journey without any planning, I am really not in any hurry to change it.
Do you still have the car? What is your long term opinion on its reliability and maintenance cost?
This car is one of the prospects I'm looking into recently
Excellent review very underrated car. I have a Chevy volt version just the same as for Vauxhall ampera. Use it completely on electric in West Yorkshire, just petrol for the Long runs. Keep the good work up
Beautiful voice Kate. :)
Hi. Great vid. Thank you!
Curious, as someone like me who does many miles on motorway weekly and local driving on weekends, would it be worth it?
What sort of mileage would you get say for example on a full charge and tank of fuel to say the Lake District from London? How many miles on a full charge and tank all together before the fuel light would be on?
Genuinely considering this car and wether part exchanging my 2.0 my diesel insignia is worth it for economy benefits? Or would they be about the same?
How's this for a statement. I have put 44,000 miles on mine in three and a half years, and I still love getting into it each morning, NEVER thought that about any other car I owned. I love it.
I just wish GM had brought the Mk 2 to the UK. Normally on battery I get around 35 - 38 miles, motorway and A roads combined driving. This week on A roads alone I got 50 miles for the first time. The MPG since I bought it is sitting at 150 MPG. My commute is 30 miles round trip, no petrol required, even in winter. Great car. Also, the interior is very well put together and feels excellent, seats are great for long distance. I did 450 miles in one day and felt fine when I got out. And if you put it in sport mode, it is a fun car to drive.
Good video guys! You will find that they are very conservative with the battery voltages. You can fully charge and drain without having to worry. I think it's. 16 ish kwh but only 10 usable. The newer Volt can do a little over 50 miles. I wonder if you can get your hands on that equivilant car where u guys are.
TRY to HELP you sadly we don’t. No European country will take the newer version 🤦🏼♂️ we were a little confused between the usable capacity and the actual capacity, it seems a tad cautious to leave so much untouched 🤔
I’ve only ever seen one in real life - followed it for about twenty miles down the M1, but I had to pull over for a rapid recharge and a top-up of Earl Grey.
I think it was a few years ahead of its time. I’m looking for a brand new EV (or long EV range PHEV at a push) and cant believe the wait times for orders right now. Some manufacturers aren’t even accepting orders...
I baffles me why more manufacturers don’t opt for this range extender method. Don’t see the point in having a big engine to drive the axle. Just have a small one to boost the battery when needed. Makes way more sense.
Most other hybrids are parallel, this one is series hybrid. It is actually closer to i3Rex, then Prius or something. There is some complicated clutch system that connects engine to the wheels at certain speeds, but basically petrol engine is only for battery recharge there.
jur4x yes we did some research and the clutch system looks very complex but in terms of efficiency it leaves almost all others in the shadows. No Toyota/Lexus hybrid can touch this IMO. Thanks for commenting 😊👍🏻
well, it's not to complex. But it is not a gearbox. So petrol engine there is more as a REx that can connect to the wheels occasionally.
How would you say this compares to the current Prius PHV? I've found that vastly superior to the regular Toyota hybrids, and now owning one, I'm not sure if the negativity towards PHEVs is really justified
Sam Morris It doesn’t really recharge the battery. Well, it can if the battery is empty and you switch to mountain mode (but only to about 40%). But that not really efficient. + your engine will rev up a lot.
Interesting that they pick 40%. Charge mode isn't something I use often but although it could be a placebo, I like to use it to avoid regular HV running in urban / stationary traffic. It just feels more efficient to do that.
Good informative video to the prospective buyer. All I can find on this car is rave reviews from the car Journalists reviewers. It's one of those things that seems almost too good to be true. Where is the catch? However owner satisfaction seems very high as well. I am getting more and more convinced by the car the more I research. The rumour mill is rife with stories as to why it failed, Price almost certainly one. Lack of marketing by Vauxhall themselves. People have complained of unhelpful dealers who seemingly didn't want to sell them the car. A selected dealer network wouldn't have helped things. Dealers also want profit and low volume cars like this don't provide enough of it. It is said that they wanted easy profit from cheaper and "efficient" Diesel cars.
Too much to soon? I think so. It was forced upon GM Europe where I think they weren't ready for it and din't know what to do with it. The dealer service network obviously wasn't set up for it what with people having to travel maybe an hour for a dealer who can service. People need convenience and they are not prepared for a long journey just to service the car.
I can't help thinking though that what with the recent backlash by governments against Diesel cars that GM Europe isn't kicking themselves now as they now have nothing comparable with the technology of this. A real case of what might have been. There are many of those in the fickle car industry.
@Tim Kirk it's the size as the Volt cause its the European version.
Fabulous car, and worth the price.
Thanks for reviewing a car that we have in the USA. No Citroens, Renault, etc. for us. :-(
I have ridden in what we know here as the "first generation" Volt and your review is right on target. I am sad that GM is not sharing the second generation Volt with Europe. That's the model I have and it's superior to the Gen1 in all respects except rear visibility (which is worse since they did away with the lower glass panel): Cheaper, bigger battery, more efficient ICE, touchscreen display. Now if you can just make a trip to the USA for a ride in a Gen2 Volt, Tesla Model 3 and a Fiat 500e!
Gen 1 display is touchscreen, but I would love a Gen 2, but GM leave us UK owners of Gen 1 cars with no where to go next.Cheers GM, nice customer care.
I believe some Nissan's #EVs in the US are rebadged Renaults eg Twizy
The 2016 volt. Is even better with 53 miles I like them both but am hoping to get a bolt ev some day
me too! or one of the 20 other EV GM cars they are planning to roll out in the next couple of years.
Great car, thinking of buying one ... the only issue I have is that it does not fast charge ... so If I drove 50 miles I will have to use the petrol engine instead of having the option to recharge at a rapid charger station ... that is where a used i3 rex maybe the better option because at least I can wait 30 mins to get 100 miles at 3 quid on a charge instead of paying the petrol costs for 100 miles.
Hi guys great review but no info about top speed and total range on a full battery and full tank of petrol. If say you wanted to drive 1000 miles in this in a weekend is it possible just by refilling the tank? Cheers
Yes, absolutely possible. Only drawback is the fuel economy is just average, a 2012 Prius Plugin has significantly better fuel efficiency. Electric range is usually around 65km, in Winter less. If I remember correctly to speed is limited at 160km/h.
A question it’s run of electric when it switched to petrol after 30mph?
whats the combined mileage with battery and electric produced from petrol engine together,
welldone kate - nice car actually. Looks like a larger Chevy Volt from some angles
Tim Kirk it is a Volt. Same car, same size, simply rebadged
Mark Perrin - ah!! Now I feel a bit stupid!!
What year is this one? Cos i see you have that thing in the back for arm rest and ampera from 2012 dosen t have. Thank you and please who know just let me know
Hi guys, great video as usual, however am I correct in thinking that the engine does never drive the wheels, but charges the batteries? Might have something to do with your comments about the engine not kicking in much. If true, it's a bit unique in PHEV world and very clever.
Hi, what you say is correct. The car is always being driven by the elecrtic motor. When not running on battery mode the engine kicks in as a generator for the electric motor. The car has great regen. Going down long hills make the miles left on electric go up, thats how I achieved 55 miles. Just switch back to engine when going up the steep ones.
I hope they bring something like this back
With the recent advances in batteries which are able to do 5,000 full 5-95% discharges this exact same car with the same size batteries using new chemistries would allow 65 miles Electrified range so a 30% improvement
My thoughts on the Ampera from Portugal. I think the car was not properly advertised and was released in the wrong year. I hardly seen any here up until 1 or 2 years ago. Several people started buying it used. One because of the price but also because people started looking into hybrids and electrics from another perspective. I think the Ampera is a better option than an Hybrid, consumes much less and lets you go full electric in much more scenarios. The only down side is the support. Opel is now a PSA brand, and this technology is/was all in GM. You may find issues in case of maintenance where parts may be expensive or hard to find. It's a pity PSA didn't take this technology in hands and release a V2 of it. If you look at the Peugeot 208 EV its an expensive small sized car with lower range. Plus a new Ampera using the same approach taking advantage of all the improvements of batteries and EV engines could significantly increase its performance. We would probably see an Ampera with a 200Km/h max speed with 120hp electric engine capable of doing the same thing, and maybe without that weird central console in the middle of the rear seats.
We don’t have off street parking. I mostly drive in city. I want to change my car. Should I go for Ampera or prius?
The sad part of the Ampera is that it wasn't developed. Today it would have the design problems resolved (skirt, touch buttons, parcel shelf, rear visibility), and have a lighter generator, slightly larger battery, faster charging, maybe even a rear wash wipe and..estate version.
I believe that the Ampera's engine is a REX like the i3 so the batteries provide all of the motive power???
David G yes, that’s correct. 👍🏻
I think that a huge percentage of cars on the road in the coming years will follow this car’s formula.
Such a shame they did not bring the mk 2 version into the UK. This version has a longer ev range
I know you're not fans of PHEV cars but have you tried the BMW 330 edrive?
Martin Stubbs the 330e isn't in the same league as the Volt/Ampera.
What about the battery? Don't they wear out after a while and are really expensive to replace?
No, GM was very conservative with the BMS. Out of the 16kwh total capacity only 12 is usable, means 25% of the capacity is actually a buffer. Expect a drive train failure before any of the battery cells go bad, probably at 200k miles or more.
@@Kopfkirmes55 There is a VOLT (sister car) in the US with over 400,000 KM on it, no battery issue at all. This car was over engineered and it feels like it too.
Not one AMPERA has been back to Vauxhall for a repair ! NOTHING , not even a battery has been replaced under Warranty...WOW ...I am buying one over xmas 2019-20
Loved this version better than the looks of newer model , seen a few about , charging at 3 .3 kw is a bit crap though , only worth charging at home or work if available, out and about charging just too slow , just hogs perfectly good 22kw chargers like the leaf . Price new stupid money, second hand of cheap might be a bargain
I never charge away from home, just use the engine, still better mpg than my last diesel car.
I charge whenever possible when out and about - there’s plenty of free power points about so why not? Makes sense for trips into cities, even a 20min top up at Tesco covers the charge used to drive to the store. Every little helps!
I checked with vauxhall as to the cars title, and its called a BEV ? I think it means battery extended vehicle
It is a E-REV, extended range electric vehicle, not a BEV.
3.3kw charger is so low hopefully vauxhall will dramatically improve this with a more mainstream car. Need to charge less than 1 hour.
I never charge mine away from home, I just let the engine/generator kick in and keep going. It is still giving good MPG on dino juice.
It’s a real shame they didn’t do the mk2 in England as it’s a lot better car overall
and the Bolt too !
Haven't GM stopped selling these in Europe now since Peugeot brought out Vauxhall and Opel ?
They stopped selling them at the end of 2015 I believe. That's when GM released the second generation of the Volt, but it wasn't rebranded for any of the oversees markets...
You keep calling it a hybrid? It’s a range extender vehicle, whichever mode it is in ( EV) (ENGINE) both operate the electric ⚡️ motor, so it’s always driving on the electric ⚡️ motor
So glad you guys aren't fans of the utterly ancient hybrids, a vehicle with around 1kwh of power and a manufacturer charging horrendous amounts of money them when the technology is fast approaching 25 years old is appallingly bad when most ICE vehicle's have stop start technology. In my opinion phevs should have been introduced over a decade ago leading onto BEVs now. Great video guys. Cheers
I think they are driven a lot more than Anglias. I see one every few weeks.
Servicing costs are INSANE. Can only be serviced by select dealers and they have you by the short and curlies.
No it's not...... Have one for almost 4 years now. I take it to the official dealer once a year.
I drove 2 BMW's 320 diesels in the 8 years before that. Had them serviced once a year by a specialist (NOT THE $TEALER).
The Ampera is way cheaper to maintain!!
Henry1970 he is a Nissan Leaf troll, dishing the dirt on on other EVs, by putting people off them.....
LOL... Never seen a Volt with the steering wheel on the wrong side... My 17’ Volt gets 55 miles per charge.
Great car , way ahead of it's time...i have a BMW i3 rex great system but horrible car....the petrol engine never drives the wheels which is great....
Lot off cars now are the same, PHEV do they named it. GM, was the first, also now no degredation battery pack. Most buyers, the netherlands 2011_2015 about 7000. Chevy volts 4600
The only thing that put me off was the price and gear selector.
Fuel economy?
I have done over 20K miles in mine and in that time it shows my mpg to be 145. But, it depends on your usage as my commute is a round trip of 30 miles which it will easily do, even in winter, on battery. In the summer it will do over 40 miles on battery. When the engine is running it will still do over 50mpg.
That's crazy. Thank you. Kate should have said that in the video, since it's not all electric.
Yeah, this isn't a plug-in hybrid. It's better and makes more sense. Electric car performance with petrol range.
The front skirt must be removed. If you ground out the car at any speed over a bump, you will damage really expensive ancillaries housed behind the front bumper taking your car off the road and costing a couple of thousand to fix.
The front skirt is rubber and intended to flex when it touches the ground. It saves 5% on the economy apparently, according to a GM engineer. If you ground it hard enough to damage anything you have bigger issues, like no front suspension lol.
Good video but the ampera isn't a hybrid..
Vauxell?
Range Extended EV, not a hybrid.
Great video guys even tho it’s featuring a phev 😂
She_s Electric Thank you El 🙏🏼
I think you were reviewing a car without knowing how it really works 😂; the engine acts only as a generator, it's not connected mechanically to the wheels, that's why the seamless engine's kick in. Nice one anyway.
elusive not illusive
why do u walk like a crab kate at the beginning :D
f@ck off troll