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You didn't hear me coming, did you?
This is the Ampera...
...the car that will make us drive electric, partially at least.
I'll explain what I mean by partially later because this is extraordinary technology.
I'm just trying to figure out how it works.
I can press all sorts of things.
He did say there was a mode that stores electricity, didn't he?
Than, after some persuasion...
Later that day...
This sat nav and all it's extra components are a bit complicated.
We've got loads of buttons that were high-tech in the 80s.
It just isn't very intuitive, that's a small drawback.
Of course there are also advantages.
If it's you business car, you pay no extra taxes if you use it privately.
That's because its emissions are very low.
Before I continue, I'll explain the concept.
This is an electric car with a range extender.
There's a combustion engine, an electric engine...
...there are batteries and the whole package looks a bit like a Prius.
But that's where the similarities end and the differences begin.
It's driven electrically, in principle.
There's also a combustion engine that acts like a generator...
...that generates electricity when the batteries are flat.
You can also charge the batteries directly...
...and that gives you a range of up to 50 miles.
When it's empty, the combustion engine kicks in.
It's a quite simple 1.4 with 86 hp.
The combustion engine tackles the problem most electric cars have: the very limited range.
You can just generate you own electricity so you can drive for about 310 miles.
After that you can fill it up with petrol again and keep going.
All the while the wheels are being driven by the electric engine.
As a result it emits less than 40 grams of CO2 per km and does 147 mpg.
That's hugely economical.
Mind you, you'll only manage that if you charge the batteries every single time they're empty.
That's every 50 miles, in practice that might even be every 30 miles.
I almost forget to speak about something very important: how does it drive?
Well, it's special. It's very quiet of course.
When the combustion engine has to kick in, something strange happens.
The revs do build when you ask more of the car...
...but when you lift off the gas it keeps the revs up to generate electricity as a reserve.
There's no direct link between pushing the throttle, the engine note...
...and the fact if you're accelerating or even braking.
What Opel has done miles better than Toyota and Lexus...
...is the isolation of engine noise.
You do hear it, but it's not very irritating.
There isn't the loud sound we heard in the Lexus.
It's a heavy car, the batteries alone weigh in at 198 kg (437 lbs).
So 0-62 takes 9 seconds.
And its top speed is limited to 100 mph.
It's not a slow car like other hybrids.
Where they discourage you from pressing the gas by not really responding...
...this one picks up nicely. It performs like it should.
It steers allright, but don't expect too much.
It's not very sporty.
I think the Ampera looks good. It has that nice Opel-front.
It's got the Opel-look. It looks very modern.
The interior is nicely finished although there are some small flaws.
Of course you want to know the price.
It's 43,000 euros.
Yes, that's a lot of money.
But you don't have to pay for personal use if you lease it.
This is the car to lease because personal use will cost you absolutely nothing.
Nothing.
Since money's involved...
Make arrangements with your boss...
...so you can claim the electricity costs on expenses.
Top tip.