General Motors to Unveil European Volt, aka the Opel Ampere

Another questionable moniker, yet there it is. The Opel Ampere. Maybe they should have named it the Capacitor, or Resistor, or Farad, or Impedance or Wattage, but Ampere it is. Even the Opel Ohm would have been catchy, but alas and alack, twas not meant to be. Less imaginative minds have prevailed, it would seem.

From GM-volt.com:

It has been known for some time that that Chevy Volt is a global vehicle intended to be sold and driven in many of the countries GM does business. Europe is clearly a key market intended for this car. We have also heard that the Volt will first appear there under the Opel brand, which is known for advanced technology.

The automaker has just announced that it will reveal what appears to be the European version of the Chevy Volt at the Geneva Auto Show on March 3rd.

They have given the five-door four-seater car its own name, the Opel Ampera. As well a teaser photo has been released. There are no technical specs at this point, however the photo shows the body is unmistakably that of the Chevy Volt although with signature Opel branding features. It is unknown whether this vehicle will use a diesel or gasoline range extender, but the first 60 km of driving will indeed be on pure electricity.

Per said Alain Visser, GM Europe Chief Marketing Officer, “With the Ampera, Opel will be the first European automobile manufacturer to provide customers several hundred kilometers of non-stop electric driving,”

It was also noted that “additional information on the Opel Ampera will be released March 3 at the Geneva Motor Show.”

UPDATE: GM Voltec spokesperson David Darovitz has confirmed to GM-Volt.com that the car is indeed the European version of the Chevy Volt.

The vehicle will also be produced as the Vauxhall Ampera.