The innovative Vauxhall Ampera Electric Vehicle (EV) has been named as a finalist in the European Car of the Year competition.
Vauxhall has been named as a finalist in the prestigious European Car of the Year competition for the fourth year in a row, with the Ampera making it onto the shortlist of seven cars, out of the initial pool of 35 entries. Vauxhall has won the title twice in its history, first with the Carlton in 1987 and then again with the Insignia in 2009.
The jury for the Car of the Year competition is made up of 59 journalists covering 23 European countries. This jury selected the seven finalists for 2012 based on a range of factors including innovative technology and efficiency - two areas in which the Ampera stood out from the competition.
The Ampera is powered by a 16kWh lithium ion battery, which provides the energy for an 111kW/148bhp electric motor. While running on this battery the car has zero emissions, and a range of between 25 and 50 miles, depending on the driving conditions. But when the battery runs down an innovative range extender kicks in to power a generator which is capable of extending the total driving range of the Ampera to 360 miles.
Vauxhall Chairman and Managing Director Duncan Alfred commented on the news, saying:
"We are delighted that the Ampera is among the 2012 Car of the Year finalists. We are extremely proud of the Ampera which truly is a revolutionary electric vehicle already having won some 25 awards throughout Europe."
The eventual winner of the European Car of the Year award will be announced at the Geneva Motor Show, on 5th March 2012.
Related used car searches
Search used Vauxhall
