It is well-known that some companies tend to slightly exaggerate the performance or features of their products, however, it has rarely happened for a product to go well over official specifications.
With an official operating range of 520 kilometers, the Opel Ampera-e can cover larger distances than any of its closest rivals. However, two reporters working for the show Auto Mobil, on VOX, decided to test the vehicle by driving it across Germany. Their goal was to see if the car could go from Görlitz to Aachen (750 km apart).
The two took turns driving a standard model Opel Ampera-e, on the country roads towards Aachen. Maintaining speeds between 40 and 50 kilometers per hour, and using the vehicle’s brake energy regeneration, the trip took over one day of continuous driving. However, after the long, tiresome drive, the two came to an interesting conclusion.
While they did not reach Aachen, they did not fail to complete their objective due to issues with the vehicle, rather due to the fact that they had to divert from the optimal course that they had established. Regardless, the car did function for 754.9 kilometers before the battery was completely empty.
The test not only proved that the vehicle could actually do everything it was advertised to do but a lot more. Although it is true that the two journalists managed to drive this amazing distance on one charge, this due to the fact that they maintained a constant (relatively low) speed, and they made use of the Opel Ampera-e’s brake energy regeneration system.
There is more to the Opel Amera-e than a great operating range.
The test of the two reporters proved that the vehicle’s 60 kWh lithium-ion battery was more than enough for a trip across the country, however, there is more to this car than its range.
Measuring 4.16 meters, Ampera-e offers enough space to easily accommodate five passengers, and also features a trunk space of 381 liters, which can be extended to 1,274 liters by folding down the seats. The car also comes with Opel OnStar and the IntelliLink system which is compatible with both Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto.
In terms of actual engine performance, the Opel Ampera-e acceleration speed rivals that of sports cars, being able to go from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds. However, the maximum speed is limited to 150km/h in order to preserve the vehicle’s range.
