Opel Ampera electric car shown at Frankfurt

The Opel Ampera, an extended-range EV, looks totally cool!

Opel has put its very stylish, high-tech EV – the Ampera – on display at the ongoing Frankfurt Motor Show. A four-seater family saloon, the Ampera uses GM’s ‘Voltec’ electric propulsion technology, which uses electricity as its primary source of power. The Ampera’s small petrol engine is its secondary source of power and is used to generate electricity to charge the car’s battery pack. An extended-range electric vehicle, the Ampera runs on electric power at all times.

For journeys up to 60km, the Opel Ampera runs exclusively on the electricity stored in its 16kWh lithium-ion battery, and functions as a zero-emissions vehicle. When the battery’s energy is low, electricity generated from the car’s petrol engine extends the Ampera’s range to more than 500km. The car can be plugged into any household outlet for charging.

The Ampera is scheduled to go into production by mid-2011.