An electric vehicle, without the range anxiety

GreenFleet gets a sneak preview of Vauxhall’s impressive Ampera, an extended-range electric vehicle, due out in 2012

The Vauxhall Ampera extended range electric vehicle, or E-REV, cleverly fixes the shortfalls associated with conventional electric vehicles.   

One of the most common concerns of people considering an electric vehicle is its range – will the battery get them to where they need to go and back?   

The Ampera works as a standard electric vehicle in that it is always driven by an electric motor. It has a Lithium-ion battery which delivers up to 30 miles on a full charge. But once the battery has depleted, a petrol engine kicks-in, driving an onboard generator to supply electricity to sustain the battery. And in this mode, the car can go on for another 310 miles.    

When I test drove the car, Vauxhall had left three miles of range on the battery so that I could experience the range extender kicking-in. The switch-over was seamless and I could only tell it had happened by looking at the dashboard controls.

SUFFICIENT BATTERY RANGE
Vauxhall research shows that 80 per cent of daily commutes occur within 40 miles, so for many, the battery range is sufficient and they may hardly ever need to never fill up. But the range extender allows drivers to go further if they need to – or perhaps most crucially, gives drivers the reassurance that they could go further if they needed to.

Another concern for potential electric vehicle buyers is the lack of charging infrastructure. But with the Ampera, the total range of 350 miles (between battery and range extender) should be more than enough for a day’s driving, and then the car can be recharged overnight at home. And you still have the ability to refuel if you cannot get to a charge point.

The Ampera takes around three hours to charge and when driving in pure electric mode, Vauxhall say the energy cost is around a fifth of the cost of running on petrol. 

When driving in pure electric mode, emissions from the tailpipe are zero. In range-extender mode, emissions are less than 40g CO2/km.

NOT A HYBRID
Hybrid vehicles require both sources – engine and battery – to achieve the vehicle’s full performance capability. The combustion engine is typically the larger of the two propulsion sources, and provides most of the energy during high power vehicle maneuvers like pulling away and motorway cruising. And even when there is still energy in the battery, the engine will often be operating to achieve vehicle peak loads. An E-REV is unique from a hybrid in that the vehicle’s wheels are always driven electrically by an electric drive unit. So although the Ampera has an petrol engine, it is not used to drive the car directly.   

During the electric only phase of driving, full performance is delivered on electric power alone and does not require the help of the engine.   

Although still a prototype, the car has an impressive sleek and high tech exterior. It is practical with five doors, four seats and adequate boot space. Power is instantaneous and the car is fun and easy to drive with no notable difference between different power modes.

BATTERY GUARANTEED
Vauxhall say the battery will charge to a maximum of 80 per cent capacity and will deplete to 30 per cent before the range extender kicks in. This improves the life of the lithium-ion battery, as over-charging it or running to flat hinders performance. As a result, Vauxhall says it will be able to offer a ten-year warranty on the battery.   

Not due out until February 2012, Vauxhall’s Ampera is set to make a huge impact on the green car market with its low emissions and ability to do-away with range anxiety. Vauxhall say it will come out at around £30,000 which is extremely good given the competition.

Written by Angela Pisanu