Vauxhall unveil Ampera car that runs off household mains

Vauxhall has unveiled a plug-in car called the Ampera at the Geneva Motor Show

By David Millward, Transport Editor in Geneva Last Updated: 5:25PM GMT 03 Mar 2009

The vehicle can fully charge from a household plug in only three hours. At current electricity prices it would cost £1.
Costing around £20,000 It is due to go on sale in 2012 and will run on electric power alone for the first 40 miles.
After that the petrol engine will start operating but only to recharge the batteries.
For an urban motorist the fuel bills will be minimal, but even on longer trips it is believed that the car could deliver 100 miles a gallon.
It is the European version of the Chevrolet Volt, which will go on sale in the United States and Vauxhall hopes to assemble the car at Ellesmere Port, which employs 5,000 people.
But much will depend on Government support and General Motors, Vauxhall's stricken American parent company has spent months lobbying Whitehall for financial help.
Earlier this year when Lord Mandelson announced a £2.3 billion rescue package for the car industry, he stressed that some of the money would be earmarked for new green technology.
One option would be to help finance a national network of electric charging points.
Vauxhall has claimed that Government support for the project could make Britain the 'electric car capital of Europe' - even though the battery will probably still be made in Detroit and many of its components in Korea.
Also much will depend on whether General Motors survives. The company has already ditched its Swedish subsidiary, Saab and is also planning to sell off Hummer.