Overall rating:

Vauxhall's much-hyped plug-in hybrid, the Ampera, is due to arrive in UK showrooms in spring next year. It's expensive but it genuinely moves the alternative fuel game along in a practical and applicable way.

Key Facts

Pricing: £28,995
Engine: 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol, electric motor and electric generator
Transmission: continuously variable transmission (CVT)
Body style: five-door hatchback
Rivals: Nissan LEAF, Toyota Prius, Chevrolet Volt
CO₂ emissions: 40g/km
Combined economy: 176mpg
Top speed: 100mph
0-62mph: 9.0 seconds
Power: 148bhp
Torque: 273lb.ft

In the Metal:

Prius-like in its proportions, the Vauxhall Ampera is built for efficiency down to the nail. The slippery lines give it a nice low drag coefficient, but it's not a car you long to behold. Vauxhall's presence is clear from the grille and a number of other small styling features, while the boomerang headlamp arrangement distinguishes the Ampera from the competition.

The battery layout dictates a wide transmission tunnel that runs through the centre of the car, similar to something you'd find in a large, rear-wheel drive coupé. That means four seats only, but space is generous elsewhere. There's plenty of leg- and headroom and a 300-litre boot isn't bad for a car packing this much tech. The centre console is a flat-touch screen style item, which seems to work well but it comes across as a bit gimmicky.

Driving it:

Press the start button and you're met with a pretend charging up noise, followed by an equally cheesy powering down sound when you turn it off. That's about it for noise, though. The Ampera is incredibly refined, as wind buffeting and tyre roar are well suppressed, and the ride is comfortable.

Don't assume that it's slow either. You've got 148bhp and 273lb.ft of torque at your feet, all of which is available from zero 'revs'. Even at motorway speeds, where electric cars tend to struggle, the Ampera has sufficient clout, equivalent to that of a 2.0-litre petrol engine we reckon. Impressive considering its 1,732kg bulk.

The transition from electric to petrol power is highlighted by a readout on one of the two LCD screens in the cockpit. If it weren't for that, you'd have a job to notice, because the engine is whisper quiet. You can just make it out under acceleration but it's very hushed indeed.

As for the handling, the steering is precise and accurate enough, but there isn't much in the way of feedback, so you could hardly call the Ampera entertaining. It does refinement and comfort better than the interesting stuff.

What you get for your Money:

Therein lays the problem. The Ampera costs £28,995, which includes the Government's £5,000 electric car grant. Yes, it's full of new technology and that doesn't come cheap but that's an awful lot of money for a mid-sized Vauxhall and even more than the costly Nissan LEAF at £25,990. According to Vauxhall, you'll see 176g/km on average (electric driving included) and emit a mere 40g/km, so running costs are miniscule.

Worth Noting

The battery's recharge time is only about four hours from a conventional, domestic plug socket. That's pretty good, and certainly a refreshing alternative to the usual eight-hour overnighter times that we're used to hearing about with fully electric cars.

Summary

Until battery drop stations, fuel cells and a hydrogen infrastructure make serious inroads, cars like the Vauxhall Ampera make sense. The fact that you can drive in electric-only mode most of the time makes a mockery of conventional hybrids, and the reassurance of a petrol engine when you need one does away with the worries of an all-electric car and negates the need for a second, internal combustion vehicle. If Vauxhall can get the price down and successfully integrate the Ampera in the UK then it could be on to a winner.