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The UK Will Not Receive a Vauxhall Ampera-e “In the Current Generation”

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Opel Ampera-e

Opel Ampera-e

Opel is set to debut its all-electric Ampera-e this October at the Mondial de l’Automobile, but according to Auto Express, customers in the United Kingdom shouldn’t expect to see it make the transition to the Vauxhall brand any time soon.

According to a statement from Vauxhall chairman Rory Harvey on Tuesday, the brand is “committed to having a future EV presence in its range,” but it will not be able to bring the Ampera-e to the UK until such a time where it is made available in right-hand drive.


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“The technology which underpins the new Ampera-e is of great interest to us, and we will be evaluating left-hand-drive cars from next spring and demonstrating them to clients,” said Harvey. “The fact that Ampera-e is not an eco-luxury or second car for customers broadens its appeal greatly, but it’s obviously vital that the car we sell in our market is right-hand-drive, and that won’t be available in the current generation.”

Short of building a business case for costly conversion, customers in the UK would have to wait until the Ampera-e enters the next-generation for it to become a Vauxhall. Were it that GM were able to sell the Ampera-e in the United Kingdom, it would have a distinct advantage over competitors such as the Nissan LEAF and BMW i3 with a significantly greater electric range.

The Opel Ampera-e will likely be imported from the United States, where it is being built and sold as the Chevrolet Bolt. It was announced on Tuesday that the Bolt will provide an EPA-estimated 238-mile range and a $37,500 price tag before incentives.


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News Source: AutoExpress.co.uk