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cover story gage and fully suitable for everyday use. Covering a battery range of up to 80 kilometers and more than 500 kilometers total range, it is the perfect choice for 80 percent of the typical European driving profiles. This makes Ampera THE flagship of European electric mobility and the moving symbol of our innovative power. Even so, regarding Germany or Europe, there are still not enough electric cars on the road. ‹F›: An issue associated with electric mobility is “range anxiety”, an all too common worry for prospective car buyers. Is a range extender as used in the Opel Ampera able to eliminate this fear in customers? ‹Dr. Neumann›: Absolutely! Ampera drivers get a vehicle that is fully suitable for everyday use and requires no changes in their driving 6 F O C U S habits whatsoever. The Ampera’s range extender eliminates the drivers’ fear of getting stranded on the side of the road with an empty battery. Winning the eCar Award last year only confirms this view. In 2013, more than 13 000 readers of Auto Bild and Auto Test chose the Ampera over 15 other competitors as the “best overall concept” among the “first evergreens” of electric mobility. ‹F›: Are you planning on launching any Opel models with hybrid drive? ‹Dr. Neumann›: We will certainly have electrically powered cars like the prize-winning Ampera, but generally speaking we would like to make do with as little electrification as possible. Aware of our responsibility towards climate protection, we are offering a full portfolio of affordable technologies which will convince our customers. ‹F›: The fuel-cell vehicle Opel HydroGen4 shows that Opel is heavily involved in hydrogen technology. How do you view the potential of the fuel cell propulsion system? And what factors – also in view of the necessary infrastructure – will help to make it more popular and accepted? ‹Dr. Neumann›: GM’s fuel-cell vehicle fleet recently surpassed three million miles of hydrogen-powered driving, in other words almost five million kilometers. Our group obviously has in-depth knowledge of this technology. And we are making substantial advancements in its further development. But the cost of the fuel cell is still at such a high level that it > The Opel Ampera can travel for 80 kilometers using battery power. With its range extender, the total range is over 500 kilometers.


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