A Swindon man has become the first in the UK to order the eco-revolutionary Ampera, a plug-in extended range electric vehicle, from Skurrays Vauxhall.
The innovative vehicle arrived in showrooms on May 1, and Gareth Thomas was one of the first people in the UK to pick up the vehicle on the day it was launched.
The Ampera is equipped with a cutting-edge, 16-kWh lithium-ion battery, which enables the car to travel 25 to 50 miles on battery power alone. The battery can be fully recharged in approximately six hours, using a domestic 240-volt/10amp outlet.
Mr Thomas said: “We often travel over a 100 miles at a time, so had been on the look-out for a vehicle that was a little more economical for a while now. When we saw the Ampera advertised, we thought it would be perfect for us as it seemed to tick all the right boxes.
“My wife and I ordered the vehicle just a week after the order banks opened, so we couldn’t wait to get behind the wheel when it arrived on May 1. And when we did, I have to say we were extremely impressed.
“It does exactly what it says on the tin – we wanted something more economical and that’s just what it is. We’ve already saved about £1,500 on petrol in the three months we have had the car and that’ll make a massive saving of £6,000 over the next year!
Richard Adams, Ampera specialist at Skurrays Vauxhall, said: “As one of only 23 specialist dealers in the Vauxhall network to stock the Ampera, we’re delighted we’re able to give our customers the chance to own this revolutionary vehicle.
“The Ampera provides high quality and efficient performance with innovative technology, so I’d like to encourage anyone interested in this vehicle to come down to the dealership, take a test drive and see what this vehicle can do for you.”
The innovative Ampera, available to order from £29,995 (inclusive of the £5,000 government plug-in car grant) comes with a raft of standard features, such as DAB radio, 7-inch touch-screen control monitor, cruise control and alloy wheels.
The Ampera has received a five star review from What Car? magazine.
