LONDON — General Motors will expand its Ampera series in Europe to three extended-range vehicles over the next five years and is considering whether to sell the cars under the Ampera sub-brand.
In an interview with Britain's Autocar, GM Europe President Nick Reilly said the company already is developing the second-generation Ampera, a sister car to the Chevrolet Volt.
Reilly said the Ampera family by 2015 will include a compact hatchback about the size of today's Opel Astra, a slightly larger sedan to replace the current Ampera and a five-passenger crossover vehicle similar to the Chevrolet Volt MPV5 crossover that was unveiled earlier this year at the 2010 Beijing Auto Show.
In the U.S., GM spokesman Robert Peterson told Inside Line: "We're very bullish about the market potential for the Volt, Ampera and Voltec system and intrigued by the possibility of extending the technology into other areas of the portfolio. However, we have not committed to any sub-branding strategies or future product offerings — for the Volt or Ampera. We are simply studying how to leverage the enthusiasm for this technology."
In Europe, Reilly introduced the production version of the Ampera at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show. Since then, it has garnered considerable attention in Europe, most recently from President Obama, who sat in the car in late November during a NATO summit in Lisbon.
The Ampera is built alongside the Volt at GM's Detroit-Hamtramck plant. The Ampera retails in Europe for the equivalent of $58,000, compared with the Volt's $41,000 sticker in the U.S.
Reilly said if demand warrants, GM could shift production of the next-generation Ampera and its derivatives to Europe, possibly to the U.K., according to Autocar. Reilly said the next-generation hybrids will cost less, with better range.
Inside Line says: GM also is considering whether to build and sell the Volt MPV in North America. — Paul Lienert, Correspondent
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