The new Opel Ampera-e is THE electric car or ‘Das Elektroauto’, with a revolutionary officially certified NEDC range of 520 kilometers (measured in accordance with the New European Driving Cycle). The 4.17 meter long Ampera-e also offers plenty of space for up to five passengers plus trunk space of 381 liters (1,274 liters when the seats are folded down), which is more than some compact class cars. “We are bringing an electric car fully suitable for everyday use to market in the Ampera-e. It is not eco-luxury, not a gadget and not just a second car. Opel is showing that electro-mobility is also achievable for a much broader audience thanks to the most innovative technology,” said Opel CEO Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann. The newcomer has been available for order in Norway, a country fully geared up for electro-mobility, for a few weeks now and orders have surpassed 3,400. With the Ampera-e set to go on sale in Germany, the Netherlands, France and Switzerland shortly it is time to get to know the electric car better and take a closer look at the combination of high-tech battery, assistance systems and digital connectivity.
The new Opel Ampera-e – Overview
Battery & range
60 kWh lithium-ion battery consisting of 288 cells arranged in eight modules of 30 and two modules of 24 cells. The entire battery pack is an integral part of the underbody. This saves space while simultaneously guaranteeing safety. A 30-minute charge at a 50 kW DC public fast-charger will add a further 150 kilometers of range. Opel grant a warranty of up to eight years or 160,000 kilometers for the battery system. The revolutionary electric car has a range of 520 kilometers measured based on the NEDC test cycle with a full battery. And the Opel Ampera-e also impresses when tested approximated to the speed profile defined in the WLTP (Worldwide Harmonized Light-Duty Vehicles Test Procedure) driving cycle (shortened test procedure): Based on this development test, the engineers estimate a combined WLTP range of 380 kilometers. Naturally, the range in everyday use will vary and depends on personal driving behavior and on external factors.
Performance & torque
Instant torque of 360 Nm is responsible for the electrifying temperament of the Ampera-e. The output of the electric motor is equivalent to 150 kW/204 hp (PS). This enables the Opel Ampera-e to accelerate from 0 to 50 km/h in just 3.2 seconds and from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds – times rivalling those of sports cars. Mid-range acceleration from 80 to 120 km/h, which is especially important for overtaking maneuvers, is completed in just 4.5 seconds. Top speed is limited to 150 km/h for the benefit of the overall range.
Comfort & Safety
The new Ampera-e also follows Opel’s strategy of making technologies normally only known from the luxury class available to a broader audience at affordable prices. Therefore, the electric car from Rüsselsheim comes with a string of high-tech assistance systems.
Advanced Park Assist: It finds suitable parallel and perpendicular parking slots automatically park the Ampera-e. The driver only needs to operate the pedals. Advanced Park Assist scans free parking spaces between parallel parked vehicles as normally encountered on supermarket car parks. Furthermore, the clever assistant searches for roadside parking spots between parked cars. The driver always has an excellent overview thanks to the 130-degree rear-view camera.
Safety assistant: A string of systems helps ensure that the Opel Ampera-e always keeps a safe distance to the vehicle in front, does not unintentionally leave its lane, no other road users are overlooked and supports the driver right up to emergency braking. The amount of assistants even helps eliminate the fear of being caught in hectic rush-hour traffic. The assistants are:
- Following Distance Indication & Forward Collision Alert – for sufficient distance to vehicles in front
- Lane Keep Assist – issues a warning when unintentionally leaving the lane (active at speeds between 60 and 150 km/h). Provides gentle steering wheel turns but does not steer the car continuously.
- Rear Cross Traffic Alert, radar based – for safe reversing
- Automatic High Beam Assist & Traffic Sign Assistant – to see everything at a glance.
- Radar based Lane Change Alert and Side Blind Zone Alert – so that nothing and nobody is overlooked
- Pedestrian Safety Signal & Front Pedestrian Mitigation Braking – to protect pedestrians. The warning signal was developed to make distracted or blind pedestrians aware of the quiet electric car and is active at speeds up to 30 km/h.
- Forward Collision Alert with Low Speed Collision Mitigation Braking & Reflective LED Alert Display – to help prevent front-end collisions.
Infotainment & connectivity
Opel’s electric car is the perfect match for our digital age: essential operations are performed via the individually configurable, tablet-like 10.2-inch color monitor. All important information on the vehicle or the outside conditions can be displayed here. The IntelliLink-e infotainment system can integrate compatible smartphones via Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™. These can be charged even when not connected through a cable thanks to wireless charging. Features such as voice control, USB and Bluetooth interfaces are obviously also available. Audiophile Ampera-e owners can also order the Bose sound system with subwoofer – a special treat in the super-silent electric car.
IntelliLink-e finally fuses to create a complete service offering when combined with the personal service and connectivity assistant Opel OnStar. OnStar offers a powerful 4G/LTE Wi-Fi Hotspot, ensuring outstanding connectivity for all Ampera-e occupants and their mobile devices. Furthermore, Opel OnStar users are only a press of a button away from a personal advisor who can help book a hotel room (booking service), find the closest available charging station or provide directions to a car park.
The digital offering is rounded off by the newly developed myOpelApp. It gives Ampera-e owners the possibility of controlling their car from afar – just like with all other models with Opel OnStar on board. The app helps fully exploit the advantages of an electric car: The Ampera-e can be pre-heated or pre-cooled no matter whether it is parked at a charging station or not via the app, thus enabling passengers to get into a perfectly acclimatized car no matter what the weather. In combination with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto the app also enables the location of charging stations to be considered when planning routes – just in case the distance exceeds the range.
Just like its sibling the Chevrolet Bolt EV, the Opel Ampera-e is made in the GM plant in Orion, Michigan.
