Failure Vauxhall Ampera bows out

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
View Threaded
Mon 8 Sep 2014 09:26
Failure Vauxhall Ampera bows out - Trilogy

www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/saying-goodbye...l

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 8 Sep 2014 10:12
Failure Vauxhall Ampera bows out - RT

Yet GM is still going ahead with a 2nd generation Chevrolet Volt for the US - but more people there are affluent enough to have more than one car each - one for the weekday commute and something for the weekend!

The problem with hybrids, and pure EVs, is that they only suit the shorter runs - longer runs are possible with a hybrid but fuel efficiency is less than a good diesel.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 8 Sep 2014 10:29
Failure Vauxhall Ampera bows out - gordonbennet

I like the Ampera, pure electric yet still able to self power for longer journeys.

If i was a buyer of new(ish) cars i'd be tempted by a used Amp, my normal commute would be on electricity only, 22 miles a day, what one would be like long term re durability i haven't a clue.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 8 Sep 2014 18:56
Failure Vauxhall Ampera bows out - colinh

Not in my experience, particularly if you are comparing like-with-like, namely hybrid automatic with a diesel automatic.

My last four cars:

2.0 diesel manual - 49.3 mpg

2.0 diesel dsg - 50.4 mpg

2.0 petrol auto - 37.7 mpg

Auris 1.8 HSD - 54.3 mpg

Majority of motoring on long motorway runs - brim-to-brim records

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 7 Dec 2015 22:47
Failure Vauxhall Ampera bows out - MGTC

The failure of the Ampera to capture more than a modest market share (just over 600 running in the UK) was a crying shame...OK it was probably too expensive for most people, but we got ours under the Motability scheme.

Almost exactly one year after taking delivery and just over 10,000 mostly trouble free miles, the lifetime consumption of petrol is 220mpg according to the display panel. We charge it every night using off-peak units, or occasionally during the day if we want to use it twice.

Battery range was around 44 miles in warm weather, but down to 32-34 now in the cooler weather, which suits us fine as the nearest towns to us here in rural (and hilly) Devon are 10 & 15 miles away.

The only problem has been a leaking radiator (it has three!), the one that cools the battery, and sods law was in play because we had run the petrol tank dry...so the "old" technology failed, but the "modern" electronics and energy regeneration have been faultless.

I repeat: 220mpg BUT Honest John's real life mpg reporting will not accept it, because it is TOO GOOD!!!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 8 Sep 2014 12:05
Failure Vauxhall Ampera bows out - craig-pd130

That's a shame. I was considering looking at an Ampera earlier this year, as my next company car. The obvious attractions were very low benefit-in-kind tax, seemingly decent performance (according to road tests), and the fact I can easily do an overnight charge from a mains plug in my garage, which would handle a majority of my driving usage.

Unfortunately, it's a strict 4-seater with limited luggage space, which meant I had to rule it out as 'my' car is used as dad's taxi and the family barge for any sort of trip / holiday etc.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 8 Sep 2014 14:21
Failure Vauxhall Ampera bows out - Ethan Edwards

Have you seen the very very poor rear display? I think they are dangerously under illuminated and in fog I would not want to be in or anywhere near one. Fronts OK and if they were more reasonably priced I think they'd have sold.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 12 Sep 2014 12:52
Failure Vauxhall Ampera bows out - kiss (keep it simple)

I think this proves that most of the manufacturers are missing several points with electric cars.

1. Running costs are far more than a tank of fuel or a charge overnight. So the market for flashy cars is restricted to the well-off. So you don't buy one to save money.

2. For long range journeys, the ic engine is actually pretty efficient, so the advantage of electric power is reduced. In fact the batteries will have a limited life when used in this way. More cost!

3. As a second car for shopping, school run, short commute etc electric is a good idea. This is where ic engines are hopelessly inefficient. We don't need satnav, 8 speaker stereo for these journeys, so build a decent, simple, safe electric car at a sensible price and it should sell. (Not a G-wizz, please!)

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 12 Sep 2014 13:34
Failure Vauxhall Ampera bows out - Snakey

Shame, as the ampera/prius type of hybrid is something I would consider as it fits my commute nicely (60% motorway, 40% queuing)

And yet the awful nissan leaf lives on, a car with little use in the real world. Bizarre.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 8 Dec 2015 09:28
Failure Vauxhall Ampera bows out - Sofa Spud

If the Ampera had been available with a diesel engine to power the generator instead of a petrol one, that would have improved its long range economy considerably.

I expect that range-extender hybrids will become the norm in the future and there's the bonus that a lot of their technology can be shared with pure electric cars and vans.

Edited by Sofa Spud on 08/12/2015 at 09:34

Reply | Report as offensive | Link