Two Years of Opel Ampera: The Uncompromising Electric Car

• 100 million kilometers covered on pure electric power since market launch
• 7,700 enthusiastic owners and over 50 international awards
• First car from European manufacturer with range extender technology

Opel Ampera EV 

The Opel Ampera is unique. The first electric vehicle suitable for everyday use has been on sale for almost two years and at a current price of 38,300 euros, the customer gets a car today that is equipped with the technology of tomorrow. Owners across Europe have now driven a total of 100 million kilometers on pure electric power, so it’s time to review real-life electric mobility.

The number of electric vehicles in the European market in 2013 is still too low. While their market share has increased slightly over last year, from 0.15 to 0.19 percent, this is still far behind the forecasts of numerous experts.

Opel is doing its utmost to support electric mobility. CEO Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann says: “The Opel Ampera was the first electric vehicle on the market from a European manufacturer. Two years later, we remain committed to our strategy of providing sustainable mobility. We will continue investing in electric propulsion and believe in an emission-free automotive future – not only tomorrow, but also today.”

A total of 7,700 customers have already chosen the trendsetting Opel Ampera. In 2012, it was the best-selling e-car in Europe and was voted Car of the Year by a jury of trade experts. Currently the Opel Ampera is in third place among European e-car registrations with a market share of almost ten percent. In the Netherlands – Europe’s largest and most important market for electric cars – the Ampera is the undisputed leader with an impressive market share of 40 percent. In Germany – the only major market for electric vehicles in Europe without incentive programs – its market share has grown to a remarkable ten percent, and this upward trend is continuing: since its price was reduced in September 2013 to 38,300 euros, orders have almost doubled – a clear indication of how price-sensitive the electric vehicle market remains.

Customers who opt for an electric car quickly become fans. Owners in Europe have reassessed their approach and the Ampera is increasingly being driven in pure battery-powered mode. This is reflected in fuel consumption figures. In a study in the Netherlands, drivers achieved figures substantially lower than the EU standard fuel consumption level (1.2 liters fuel per 100 km, 27 g/km CO2).

Dutchman Benny van Wijngaarden, for example, covers over 25,000 km annually with his Ampera and uses just 0.9 liters of gasoline per 100 km. However, the Belgian fuel-saving champion is clearly Franky Van Liedekerke, who needs only 0.5 liters per 100 km while covering almost 15,000 km annually. These frugal Ampera owners drive more than three-quarters of their total mileage on pure battery electricity without requiring assistance from the Opel Ampera’s range extender.

With their environmentally aware driving, European Ampera drivers have been able to prevent 13,000 tons of local CO2 emissions entering the atmosphere over the past two years, compared to emissions from conventional cars – a blessing for the environment. Ampera owner and mountaineering icon Reinhold Messner shares this view: He is able to roll along emission-free through the small towns of his native South Tyrol which are often overrun with traffic.

While environmental friendliness is one of the Ampera’s strengths, fuel economy is another benefit. Herbert Hans Grüntker, Managing Director of the Frankfurter Sparkasse (Frankfurt Savings Bank), highlights: “We use the Opel Ampera as a company car because for us it is the perfect combination of economic and ecological efficiency. We can recharge the Ampera at our own charging station. And our employees and business partners enjoy the comfort and wonderful quietness of this elegant electric car.”

The German business world is currently discovering the attractions of the Opel Ampera in a car-sharing project, RUHRAUTOe, led by Prof. Dr. Ferdinand Dudenhöffer of the CAR Institute. The Ampera is the most popular choice among the pool of various electric cars. From a total of 80,000 km driven, RUHRAUTOe users covered more than 50,000 km with the Ampera in almost 700 drives.

“The Opel Ampera is extremely well received by the business customers in RUHRAUTOe,* says Dudenhȍffer. “The ability to drive electrically without range restrictions is very important for companies and can easily be realized with the Opel Ampera.”

Something Peter Meyer, president of the German automobile club ADAC, underlines: "Since spring 2012 an Opel Ampera is being intensively used by our employees of the ADAC Technical Forum in Landsberg am Lech both for testing and interim analyses as well as for drives to appointments or film- and photo shoots. Thanks to the easy range extension technology, the Ampera enjoys great popularity and within the first test year already covered over 32,000 kilometers without any problem, some 45 percent of which were powered by pure battery electricity."

!NEW! Opel Astra GTC Launched in China Price Starts at RMB 239,000

GM’s Opel brand today announced the launch of the new Astra GTC in China. Two variants of the stylish urban coupe imported from Germany are being offered. Opel Astra GTC Enjoy is priced at RMB 239,000 and Opel Astra GTC Sport is priced at RMB 289,000.

New Opel Astra GTC with Panoramic Windscreen

The profile of the new Opel Astra GTC follows German aesthetic design principles. It has a distinct dynamic and graceful feel that is accentuated by its dramatic proportions and clean, sweeping body lines. Another prominent feature of the new model is its panoramic windshield, which melts into the A-pillar and extends seamlessly from the instrument panel to the roof and back to the middle of the car. With no cross-member to spoil the view, it offers the driver and passengers a completely new sense of space and visibility with an almost unlimited field of vision. Five exterior colors are available.

New Opel Astra GTC interior

Inside the new Opel Astra GTC, the center console extends from the middle outward to the two sides. The stylish center stack, which adds a luxurious yet streamlined feel, is easy to operate. Amenities such as a three-spoke sports steering wheel, wing-like door panels and a tube-shaped dashboard, together with refined chrome-plated accents, create a stylish and dynamic atmosphere. A storage compartment on the left side of the steering wheel and a multifunctional center console with adjustable armrests and a closed storage compartment deliver a high degree of utility for day-to-day use. Two black interior trims, in cloth or perforated leather, are offered.

New Opel Astra GTC - Ergonomic sports seats (AGR)

The new Opel Astra GTC takes care of the driver and passengers. The front seats have the highest degree of flexibility in the segment. The ergonomic sports seats with four-way lumbar support and an adjustable seat cushion extension can be adjusted to eight different positions. The seats carry a quality seal from the AGR, a German Medical Association that sets Orthopedic requirements for car seats. The Air Quality System (AQS) turns on and off automatically to improve the quality of air introduced to the vehicle based on the surrounding air quality.

New Opel Astra GTC - ECOTEC 1.4 Turbo Engine 

The new Opel Astra GTC has an efficient 1.4L turbocharged engine mated to a second-generation six-speed automatic transmission. The engine produces maximum power of 103 kW at 4,900-6,000 rpm. The HiPerStrut front suspension in the new Opel Astra GTC delivers flexible and precise ride and handling as well as more direct steering response, allowing owners to fully enjoy the high performance of the vehicle under hard acceleration and when overtaking.

!NEW! Employee representatives and management agree on corner points of social collective labor contract for Opel Bochum

IG Metall, the Bochum works council and the management of Adam Opel AG have agreed on major, binding corner points of a social collective labor contract for the Opel plant in Bochum:

•       Car production will end, as announced, on December 31, 2014.

•       Opel to remain in Bochum: the company will invest 60 million euros in the warehouse and increase its workforce in the coming years with a further 265 positions, totaling 700 jobs.

•       At least 200 employees will have the chance to move to other Opel plants.

•       Attractive, individual compensation packages will be offered - including a two-year transfer company.

•       Training continues: 171 apprentices will have the chance to get their degrees over the course of the next years. A further 40 apprentices will start as of 2014.

Ulrich Schumacher, HR Director of Adam Opel AG: "In this difficult situation it has been our goal to come to responsible and socially-acceptable solutions for our Bochum employees.  We have achieved this together - in intense but constructive discussions with the works council and IG Metall. We have reached an agreement concerning the most important cornerstones of a social collective labor contract. I am very happy that we can now provide clarity to our staff. "

Vehicle production at the Bochum site is secure for the whole year 2014 and will end as announced on December 31, 2014.

The existing contract for the warehouse which is currently operated by the logistics company Neovia, will be renewed. In the coming years, Opel will invest 60 million euros in this area. This means the existing 430 jobs can be secured in the long term. In addition, 265 more jobs will be created.

Opel will offer individual packages to the employees affected by the discontinuation of vehicle production. These offers are based on individual needs and will support a reorientation of employees. Attractive compensation, a two-year transfer company and special programs for older employees will create prospects for individuals. A minimum of 200 Bochum employees will have the possibility of moving to other Opel plants.

Particular emphasis will be on the placement and qualification of employees in other fields of activity in the greater region of Bochum. This will be pursued in particular by the ‘Bochum 2022 perspective’. Cooperation with other reputable companies should lead to attractive employment opportunities.

The company will make sure that the training of the current 171 Opel apprentices can be finalized properly in cooperation with TÜV Nord Bildung Opel GmbH. In 2014, 40 additional young people will get the chance to start their apprenticeship.

Together with the ‘Bochum Perspektive 2022’ initiative and the ‘Lernfabrik’ project, we will create the prerequisites to make today's training an integral part of a joint training system equipped for the challenges of the future.