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GM's Opel Ampera plug-in hybrid

Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by joe1347, Mar 2, 2009.

  1. joe1347

    joe1347 Active Member

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    Engadget just posted a short news release on the GM Opel Ampera plug-in hybrid. Link also has a few videos.


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  2. Zythryn

    Zythryn Senior Member

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    I thought Opel was being sold or scrapped??
    I would love to see more plug-in models, perhaps I heard wrong?
     
  3. spwolf

    spwolf Senior Member

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    people need to understand that if Volt is 40k in USA, it will cost 45-50k Euros in Europe - this is crazy money over here.
     
  4. JimN

    JimN Let the games begin!

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    Maybe the 2010 Prius doesn't look so bad now.
     
  5. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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  6. hampdenwireless

    hampdenwireless Active Member

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    In person the 2010 Prius looks better then in the pictures. I am still not in love with the front protrusion though.

    While the Ampera is just 'badge engineering' I think its quite attractive and better then the Volt.
     
  7. Rybold

    Rybold globally warmed member

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  8. markderail

    markderail I do 45 mins @ 3200 PSI

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    If they're hand-made, they might compete with Tesla's price of 60K$ for their sedan. Then produce 100 a month.

    In order to bring the price to consumer-level of below 40k$, and produce 20k units per year, they have to build an infrastructure.

    Where will GM get the money?

    China has big money, so it will be easy for them to build infrastructure.

    So GM's solution to the Volt and the Ampera? Subcontract it to the Chinese.

    Then they get shipped in a few parts, get their paint job in the US, slap Union stickers on the car, Made In The USA.

    How would that be any different to other Ford/Chrysler/GM cars?
     
  9. Rybold

    Rybold globally warmed member

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    I just wonder ... if GM were to outsource the entire production to china, and then the Volts said "Designed in USA, made in China" if the USA national savings from oil imports would offset the losses in Michigan jobs and revenue. Heck, maybe the price of the Volt could be dropped $10K due to reduced manufacturing and labor costs.
     
  10. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

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    It is the Volt and it is made by GM. Opal is part of GM. It has slightly different plastics but it's a Volt.
     
  11. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    We have already lost the jobs in Michigan, so outsourcing couldn't make it much worse. Since 2001 we have lost somewhere around 750,000 jobs.

    Tom
     
  12. clett

    clett New Member

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    I drive an Opel right now and it gets me 70 mpg UK (58 mpg US).
     
  13. donee

    donee New Member

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    Hi Evan,

    That looks really uncomfortable. See how the console is intrudes into the driver's space. That was just like my Saturn SL2 was. The Driver has to contort his leg around the council to get the right foot on the gas pedal.
     
  14. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

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    And can comfortably carry 4 people and their luggage for a 2 week vacation?
     
  15. PriusSport

    PriusSport senior member

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    The Volt has marketing failure written all over it. Way overpriced. No doubt this is one of the reasons why the Obama team rejected GM. They have no low priced high mileage hybrids--including the Malibu, which isn't high mileage compared to the hybrid competition.
     
  16. clett

    clett New Member

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    Yes, it's an Astra ECO4, same size as a Golf or a Focus.
     
  17. Mike Dimmick

    Mike Dimmick Active Member

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    To fill out the specs:

    1.7 litre common-rail turbo-diesel, 5-speed manual gearbox.

    On the EU fuel consumption test, it achieves 5.9L/100km (47.9mpg Imperial) urban, 3.5L/100km (80.7mpg) extra-urban, 4.4L/100km (64.2mpg) combined. CO2 emissions, 118g/km. 13.0s 0-62mph (from parkers.co.uk). It's actually a bit better for fuel economy than the current ecoFLEX model, but the new one accelerates faster (12.0 seconds). The new car is a 6-speed manual.

    2G Prius comparison: 5.0 (56.5) urban, 4.2 (67.3) extra-urban, 4.3 (65.7) combined, 104g/km CO2.
    3G Prius 15": 3.9/3.7/3.9, 89g/km CO2
    3G Prius 17": 4.0/3.8/4.0, 92g/km CO2

    Do be aware that the EU test disproportionately flatters the Prius. If you do a lot of motorway driving, and can't tolerate driving at 60-65mph, you may well be better off with a small diesel.

    (Bear in mind that diesel has about 11% more energy per litre than petrol. In the UK it costs anywhere from 6% to 15% more, but some countries have favourable tax rates for diesel.)
     
  18. zenMachine

    zenMachine Just another Onionhead

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    Yea, but Watt is the relationship between a Volt and and Ampere?