Opel/Vauxhall And Europcar Launch Major Electric Vehicle Cooperation

Electric cars are among the best long-term solutions to meet society's energy and environmental challenges. The fact that Europcar is going to introduce the Opel/Vauxhall Ampera in its day-to-day business is further proof that our extended-range electric vehicle is completely suitable for everyday use – even as a fleet vehicle in the tough rental car business, says Opel/Vauxhall Vice President Sales, Marketing and Aftersales, Alain Visser.

Full introduction to Ampera on handover to rental customers

The Ampera is as easy to drive as any other car. The electric vehicle also offers a number of intelligent functions that help the driver to operate the vehicle highly efficiently. Opel/Vauxhall and Europcar have together created a comprehensive introduction to the Ampera to present these features to rental customers. On booking, customers are advised to plan 10-15 minutes for the handover to accommodate this. Trained Europcar employees explain a range of topics including battery charging, the range extender, as well as other special functions and features such as the energy consumption and energy efficiency displays. In addition, customers get advice on energy-efficient driving in battery operation and how to recuperate energy when braking. Customers will also have the opportunity to give feedback through online chats and questionnaires.

“At Europcar, we are committed to responsible and sustainable business practices. We see customers’ growing appetite for low CO2, environmentally-friendly solutions, especially in urban areas, and strongly believe that electric vehicles will help enhance access to greenest mobility solutions. Today, we are proud to partner with Opel/Vauxhall/Vauxhall to facilitate expansion of electric vehicles and provide customers, as early as November 2011, with the Opel/Vauxhall Ampera distinctive features”, said Rafael Girona, Chief Operating Officer of Europcar.

Europcar has long been committed to environment protection matters, and has formalised its pledge through an Environmental Charter. The company shares its commitment with its customers by providing them, through its green fleet, with fuel efficient, electric and Hybrid vehicles. For the second time, Europcar was named the World’s Leading Green Transport Solution Company in 2010 by the World Travel Awards.

Opel/Vauxhall Ampera: Electric mobility for everyday use

The Opel/Vauxhall Ampera with extended range requires no changes to driving habits, and offers limitless mobility, even for spontaneous journeys. The wheels of the Ampera are electrically driven at all times. A unique 16 kWh lithium-ion battery pack feeds an advanced, 111 kW/150 hp electric drive unit to deliver between 40 and 80 km of pure electric operation with zero emissions – depending on driving conditions – when fully charged. If the Ampera is driven exclusively in battery mode, it uses no fuel and produces no emissions. For longer stretches, a gasoline engine powers a generator that supplies the necessary electricity. This continuous energy supply makes distances of over 500 km possible, without stopping to charge for hours, and relieves the driver of concerns about being stranded with a flat battery. According to the ECE R101 regulation for measuring fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, the Ampera achieves 175mpg (preliminary data).

The car is therefore perfectly suited for use in the car rental industry as it delivers the no-compromise mobility that rental customers require. Additionally, there is no risk for the rental company of having to recover the car as a result of it running out of battery power.