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- Cris on Ampera Roadshow: A Star on Tour
- MIKE CAPLAN on Our star in Geneva – Ampera is “Car of the Year”
- Paulo Manuel on Ampera@Rallye Monte Carlo – A resounding success
- Jean-Charles Jacquemin on Our star in Geneva – Ampera is “Car of the Year”
- Will Mowat on Our star in Geneva – Ampera is “Car of the Year”
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Category Archives: Development
We engineers are already working on the next generation of the Ampera. In order to fine tune the car even better to customers’ needs and utility profiles, we’d like to know what the Ampera driver’s behavior looks like on a … Continue reading
An electric vehicle faces a number of challenges during the winter. For example, its high efficiency – a big advantage – results in no waste heat being available to heat the interior. So the Ampera has “clean” electric interior heating. … Continue reading
Tagged Battery, Independent car heater, Lithium-ion battery, Recuperation
Posted in Development, Engineering
6 Comments
Opel insiders will be familiar with the term K48 – a former production hall which houses an exhibition for visitors to the plant, and where company meetings and other large events which require a lot of space are held. However, … Continue reading
Tagged Concept Car, Electric mobility, Experimental Car, IAA, RAK e, Rüsselsheim
Posted in Design, Development
1 Comment
Interview with Designer Richard Shaw about the creation of the Opel RAK e How did the RAK e project start? It started with a small group of very dedicated engineers from Opel engineering. They developed the RAK e concept as … Continue reading
Tagged Concept Car, Electric mobility, Experimental Car, IAA, RAK e
Posted in Design, Development
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I wanted to say one more thing about our final right-hand-drive test drive the British are a very inviting and open people. Electric mobility is welcome and there are many possibilities for re-charging electric vehicles. The first day we drove … Continue reading
Tagged Charge Point, Quality control, Right-hand-drive vehicle, Vauxhall Ampera
Posted in Development, Test
3 Comments
One of the advantages of my job as project leader electric vehicle technology is that I get to travel all over the world. After the USA and the Netherlands, I headed to the UK. The Ampera once again proved its … Continue reading
Tagged Quality control, Range Extender, Right-hand-drive vehicle, Vauxhall Ampera
Posted in Development, Test
1 Comment
We improved the cold start characteristics of our range extender so that the untreated emissions and mixture flow rate quickly start the catalytic convertor. This works because the Ampera is always powered electrically – even when the gasoline engine kicks … Continue reading
Tagged 1.4 ECOTEC, Engine Maintenance Mode, Fuel Maintenance Mode, Gasoline engine, Range Extender
Posted in Development, Engineering
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I always have mixed feelings when I talk about the gasoline engine in the Ampera. Because for me, the 1.4 ECOTEC as a range extender connects the past with the future. When I was powertrain manager, I oversaw what was known … Continue reading
The Ampera‘s regenerative braking system enables very high recuperation. Just consider how much kinetic energy is available: at 120 km/h a 1.8-ton Ampera has around one megajoule of energy. That is enough to keep a 60-watt light bulb burning for … Continue reading
Tagged Friction brake blending system, Kinetic energy, Recuperation, Regenerative braking system
Posted in Development, Engineering
4 Comments
There are lots of questions and speculation about regenerative braking, so it’s high time to clarify some points. The Ampera’s advanced friction brake blending system maximizes the energy generated during braking. It allows for maximum regenerative braking through the electric … Continue reading
Tagged Friction brake blending system, Kinetic energy, Recuperation, Regenerative braking system
Posted in Development, Engineering
2 Comments
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