What is the Vauxhall Ampera?
The Ampera is a five-door family car with electric drive and a petrol-powered generator. It can be charged from the mains, and when the battery’s charge is low, the petrol engine runs the generator to supply electricity to the drive motor.
Vauxhall offered the Ampera in the UK, while the closely related Opel Ampera was sold in continental Europe. Its electric-first system gave the car a distinctive place in the Vauxhall range.
Ampera generation
The first-generation Ampera appears in EU registration figures from 2012 to 2015, while UK VCA figures cover 2013 to 2015. The car paired a battery-powered electric drive with a petrol generator.
Engine and fuel consumption
The Ampera used a 1.4 L petrol engine as part of its plug-in hybrid system. The electric motor produced 150 PS; the petrol engine powered a generator. EU registrations classify the 1.4 L versions as both hybrid and petrol.
The lowest listed UK plug-in hybrid consumption is 1.2 L/100 km on the NEDC test. This official weighted figure assumes some driving is electric, so it reflects a mix of electric and petrol use. Europe’s NEDC procedure differs from the EPA test used in the USA and the five-cycle test used in Canada.
Where was the Ampera sold?
EU registrations totalled 2,332 from 2012 to 2015. UK VCA figures cover 2013 to 2015 and list plug-in hybrid versions. The car was sold as a Vauxhall in the UK and as an Opel in continental Europe.
Questions and answers
Is the Vauxhall Ampera fully electric?
It has electric drive and a 1.4 L petrol engine that can run a generator when needed.
What is the Ampera’s lowest listed UK fuel figure?
The lowest listed figure is 1.2 L/100 km on NEDC, a weighted plug-in hybrid result that assumes some electric driving.
When was the first-generation Ampera sold?
EU registration figures cover 2012 to 2015, while UK VCA figures cover 2013 to 2015.