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Opel Ampera
- Thread starter dpeilow
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- Electric Vehicles
GM still trotting out the line that this is an electric car...
Electric Vauxhall’s UK marathon
I don't think so.
Electric Vauxhall’s UK marathon
I don't think so.
Ha! I made a comment along these lines in reply to their article this morning. Guess what? Four hours later they remove it and block replies.
Any doubt these guys get paid off by the big boys?
Any doubt these guys get paid off by the big boys?
EVNow
Well-Known Member
Vauxhall Ampera hits UK roads
Well, they got there. Amazing. 170 miles on one charge...
...oh silly me.
Or feel the slight of hand?
Well, they got there. Amazing. 170 miles on one charge...
...oh silly me.
Or feel the slight of hand?
It annoys the halibut out of me!
Only one forum that I saw (Crave) trotted out the Vauxhall PR line with ever so slightly raised eyebrows. They questioned how it could be an EV for 170 miles when it has a 30-40 mile all electric range. This therefore made them almost infinitely better than most of the media who just regurgitated the Ampera "record breaking" pap without a single fact check; particular shame on our publicly funded broadcaster the BBC.
Only one forum that I saw (Crave) trotted out the Vauxhall PR line with ever so slightly raised eyebrows. They questioned how it could be an EV for 170 miles when it has a 30-40 mile all electric range. This therefore made them almost infinitely better than most of the media who just regurgitated the Ampera "record breaking" pap without a single fact check; particular shame on our publicly funded broadcaster the BBC.
So this is what I posted "on the day" on Crave (would have posted it on the other sites, but as David points out by then they had blocked comments):
This "record" claim is unbelievably lame. Tesla Roadsters are driven frequently by their owners 100% electrically for distances as long or longer than this. How do I know - I own one! Just today I drove 134 miles at fast motorway speeds without any fuss. I had range left to do at least another 40 miles, So over 170 miles. Should I get back in the car, do the extra 40, and then issue a press release claiming a "record"?
Other examples:
My friend David borrowed a Tesla in London one evening at 5pm and drove it down to Lands End by 9am next day with an overnight stop at Taunton (see teslamotorsclub.com thread "A Very British Roadtrip"). Distance over 310 miles.
Tesla UK Sales Manager Gian Avignone frequently drives more than 170 miles a day in a Tesla.
Other real electric cars driven over 170 miles:
- My friend Evan drove his 1990s Citroën Berlingo electric van 180 mile roundtrip in a day.
- Team Racing Green Endurance drove twice around the M25 in their all-electric SRzero, a total distance of over 260 miles
What makes the Ampera claim even more lame is it's not a fully electric vehicle. Of that 170 miles around 30-40 miles will be electric, the rest will be done with petrol. In what way is that an "electric" distance record?
Andrew
This "record" claim is unbelievably lame. Tesla Roadsters are driven frequently by their owners 100% electrically for distances as long or longer than this. How do I know - I own one! Just today I drove 134 miles at fast motorway speeds without any fuss. I had range left to do at least another 40 miles, So over 170 miles. Should I get back in the car, do the extra 40, and then issue a press release claiming a "record"?
Other examples:
My friend David borrowed a Tesla in London one evening at 5pm and drove it down to Lands End by 9am next day with an overnight stop at Taunton (see teslamotorsclub.com thread "A Very British Roadtrip"). Distance over 310 miles.
Tesla UK Sales Manager Gian Avignone frequently drives more than 170 miles a day in a Tesla.
Other real electric cars driven over 170 miles:
- My friend Evan drove his 1990s Citroën Berlingo electric van 180 mile roundtrip in a day.
- Team Racing Green Endurance drove twice around the M25 in their all-electric SRzero, a total distance of over 260 miles
What makes the Ampera claim even more lame is it's not a fully electric vehicle. Of that 170 miles around 30-40 miles will be electric, the rest will be done with petrol. In what way is that an "electric" distance record?
Andrew
Crave article here.
Even more sceptical than I remembered. Happy with that!
@Doug I agree, would be nice to have stats but I don't think Vauxhall (GM's) aim was objective informing of the public. It was intended to "position" the Ampera in a way that flies in the face of facts - as a long-range pure EV. I find it deceptive. Longer term this approach could very well hurt them. Which would be a shame because I think EREVs/PHEVs have an important place in the pantheon of plug-in vehicles.
Even more sceptical than I remembered. Happy with that!
@Doug I agree, would be nice to have stats but I don't think Vauxhall (GM's) aim was objective informing of the public. It was intended to "position" the Ampera in a way that flies in the face of facts - as a long-range pure EV. I find it deceptive. Longer term this approach could very well hurt them. Which would be a shame because I think EREVs/PHEVs have an important place in the pantheon of plug-in vehicles.
I've been having a bit of an argument with Vauxhall on their Facebook page about the BS that they are trotting out.
They've also just posted a video on there where Ken Gibson from the Sun, who I know has driven the Roadster in the past, is parroting this 170 mile thing. Then they have Andrew English from the Telegraph planting scare stories about "your daughter running out of power on a dark night". Sickening.
They've also just posted a video on there where Ken Gibson from the Sun, who I know has driven the Roadster in the past, is parroting this 170 mile thing. Then they have Andrew English from the Telegraph planting scare stories about "your daughter running out of power on a dark night". Sickening.
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By the way, my email to the editor of Auto Express might have worked as the comments on that article are back on and my comment is back.
Too bad the focus has moved on to the next thing.
Too bad the focus has moved on to the next thing.
If some publicity stunt like this happens again, we here at TMC should organize a Tesla caravan. That is, 2 to 5 Teslas leave from the same place as the Ampera (from a public street) and surround the Opel the entire trip including the end point. Get into as many photos as possible!
Ampera / Volt to become a parallel hybrid...
This story broke in the Telegraph, but now Auto Express is saying the same thing...
I got this back from them, via Facebook:
This story broke in the Telegraph, but now Auto Express is saying the same thing...
I got this back from them, via Facebook:
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Adm
Active Member
After 40 miles of electric-only running, the engine fires up to generate the electrical current required to propel the car and maintain the battery charge.
The 30-litre fuel tank gives 311 more miles of range. Economy is calculated at an incredible 175mpg.
Running on gas, I calculate 10,4 MPG. Still incredible, but....
The 30-litre fuel tank gives 311 more miles of range. Economy is calculated at an incredible 175mpg.
Running on gas, I calculate 10,4 MPG. Still incredible, but....
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