El-Hout is currently in charge of Opel's planning and commercial vehicle operations, Autonews wrote, with Chris Lacey, head of GM's central and eastern Europe operations, to handle operations in the light commercial vehicle sector.
"The appointment of Weber is an acknowledgment of our commitment to develop environmentally friendly technologies for the future and the clear goal of launching the Opel Ampera electric car in 2011," Opel interim chief Nick Reilly said in a statement.
Weber will thus participate at the development of Volt's sister project, the Ampera, which is expected to be released in European markets in late 2010 or early 2011.
Opel Ampera might be produced in the United Kingdom at a Vauxhall plant that would permit the US-based parent manufacturer to preserve jobs at the local factory. Still, a final location for the electric project is yet to be disclosed.
“Whether we make the Ampera depends on the volume it generates,” says Reilly. “At this stage, that’s hard to predict, especially since we haven’t yet priced the car. But I would definitely like to make the car in Europe, and I think Ellesmere Port has a good chance of being the place we choose.”
The Ampera relies on a 16-kWh lithium-ion battery that provides an autonomy of up to 50 kilometers on electric power alone. Together with the combustion units, the electric unit allows for a range of 500 km, according to official specs. The battery can be easily recharged via any household 230v outlet.
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