Opel Shows How the 520-Kilometer Ampera-e Is Made

Americans will call their version, which is the Bolt EV, "dorky." But for the old continent, it's probably the closest thing to a perfect urban transportation solution.

Sure, it costs more than the BMW i3, but the range of 520 kilometers (measured in accordance with the New European Driving Cycle) could mean zero range anxiety, even for longer trips.

Under real world conditions, engineers expect a combined 380 kilometers for every full charge of the battery. Many automakers have recently introduced better batteries for their EVs. However, the one in the Ampera-e is still larger at 60 kWh.

Those numbers tell us the Ampera-e is more efficient in the way it uses electricity than the Tesla Model S. Of course, the tradeoff is that you can't smoke supercars at the drag strip. Opel says the output of the electric components is equivalent to 204 and 360 Nm of torque. So even though this is a heavy box, it will still reach 50 km/h in 3.2 seconds, stretching itself to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds. Top speed is limited to 150 km/h for the benefit of the overall range, but you'll have to drive a lot slower than that to make the most of the battery.

“We are bringing an electric car fully suitable for everyday use to market in the Ampera-e. It is not eco-luxury, not a gadget and not just a second car. Opel is showing that electro-mobility is also achievable for a much broader audience thanks to the most innovative technology,” said Opel CEO Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann.

Just like its sibling the Chevrolet Bolt EV, the Opel Ampera-e is made at the GM Orion plant in Michigan. You can watch some of the processes in the video below.