Most of the already-powerful car manufacturing brands have jumped on the wave of electric car production and development, foreseeing that people are more and more interested in alternatives to internal combustion engine vehicles and in finding new ways to protect our environment from greenhouse emissions, pollution and the irreversible damage done by over-exploitation of the planet’s resources. Opel was amongst them too, and the first results soon showed up, represented by the new Opel Ampera, an electrical vehicle with great standards.

As Opel representatives like to say, Opel Ampera is the first electric car made in Europe that has reliable autonomy; however, the Ampera is not fully-electrical, providing a free-emissions ride of approximately 40-80 kilometers, after which the extended range propulsion system kicks in. It may not be ideal, but it is still way better than any normal internal combustion engine vehicle. The range seems a bit limited, but manufacturers say the Opel Ampera was designed keeping in mind the daily commute needs of most Europeans; moreover, this car is fitted with lithium-ion battery, which is the best type of battery developed so far, and which is used on other types of electric cars as well.

This powerful-looking car has quite a small autonomy compared to her range when extended with the help of the gasoline-powered generator: 500 kilometers. While still driving on battery, the Opel Ampera will release absolutely no emissions, whereas the generator releases about 27g/km of CO2 emissions. The lithium-ion battery can be charged at any electrical socket, and it reaches its full status in just four hours.

The Opel Ampera enjoys 370 Nm of torque and it is supposed to be quite silent thanks to the electrical motor. As for power, the Ampera features 111 kW, which is the equivalent of 150 horsepower, quite a lot for a car this type. Many aficionados praise the powerful and smooth torque of electric cars, and the Opel Ampera is no exception, especially when you know that it can reach 160 km/h.

Like we mentioned above, the car’s design is also quite impressive, although some might argue it looks like a concept car. We, on the other hand, believe it looks futuristic and quite aggressive, a good look seeing how it is meant to wrestle up competition with gasoline-powered cars. The Ampera may be a bit expensive at approximately €47,000, but certain governments also offer incentives and subventions to encourage the purchase and expansion of using these cars. And if most people cannot afford them now, many green companies, in countries like Holland, Belgium and others have already started investing in electric cars.