Photo: Top Gear
The Vauxhall/Opel Ampera, European sister car of the popular Chevrolet Volt, is one of GM’s most talented offerings, from their current lineup. However, the Top Gear Editor-in-Chief, Charlie Turner, decided to exploit the Ampera’s full-electric capabilities by doing something which is normally not allowed.
He was able to drive an Ampera through the Channel Tunnel, which connects England to France and the rest of Europe. However, the car was not driven in one of the main tunnels, as there are always trains using it, and a smaller maintenance tunnel, which sits 75 m below the floor of the English Channel was used instead.
The car was driven up to the tunnel’s entrance in ‘Hold’ mode, which keeps the battery charged, by using the 1.4-liter range extender engine, then it was switched to its regular driving mode, which is all-electric and emissions-free. Furthermore, Turner managed to nudge the Ampera along for 63 miles (102 km), before the petrol engine kicked in, surpassing the official figures.
“We do like a good challenge at Top Gear, especially one involving the English Channel,” said Turner. “The telly boys conquered it with an amphibious pickup truck, and now we’ve done it again with the Ampera – our current Green Car of the Year, and probably the most practical take on electric car tech.”
The car was driven up to the tunnel’s entrance in ‘Hold’ mode, which keeps the battery charged, by using the 1.4-liter range extender engine, then it was switched to its regular driving mode, which is all-electric and emissions-free. Furthermore, Turner managed to nudge the Ampera along for 63 miles (102 km), before the petrol engine kicked in, surpassing the official figures.
“We do like a good challenge at Top Gear, especially one involving the English Channel,” said Turner. “The telly boys conquered it with an amphibious pickup truck, and now we’ve done it again with the Ampera – our current Green Car of the Year, and probably the most practical take on electric car tech.”
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