The Opel Ampera faces a tough battle in the European market as a result of its high sticker price, especially when put up against its most efficient conventionally powered rivals.
IHS Global Insight Perspective
Significance: General Motors (GM) Europe has revealed the
initial pricing of the European version of the Chevrolet Volt, the
Opel/Vauxhall Ampera, with the entry-level model starting at 42,900 euro.
Implications: Although there is no doubt that there is a
great deal of impressive technology in the Volt and these research and
development costs have to recouped and amortised, this starting price for the
Ampera would appear to be somewhat high, even after the 5,000-euro subsidy
available for the model in the German and other European markets.
Outlook: The high ticket price of the Ampera is likely to
be a significant barrier to sustained demand for the vehicle in the European
market, especially in light of the much lower cost of some of the highly
efficient conventional-powertrain C- and D-segment cars that are available
across the region. GM may be able to eventually lower the cost of the vehicle
through local production and higher volumes, but the company must try to avoid
a situation whereby there is a surge in demand initially from early adopters
followed by a dramatic slowdown as less enthusiastic potential buyers are put
off by the vehicle's ticket price.
General Motors (GM) Europe has announced the pricing of
the European version of the Chevrolet Volt, which will be sold as the Opel (or
Vauxhall) Ampera across the region. The company will from today accept order
reservations for the Ampera, with the manufacturer's recommended base price
being set at 42,900 euro (US$57,697). The original equipment manufacturer (OEM)
claims that in Germany, with value-added tax (VAT) being charged at 19% and
taking into account the government's subsidy for electric cars and plug-in
hybrids, the net price of the base Ampera will be 36,050 euro (US$49,524) This
compares with the U.S. price for the Volt of US$41,000 with no government
incentive package. However, GM Europe was also careful to state that prices
would differ from market to market as a result of varying trim levels and
specifications being offered throughout the European market. Sales will start
across Europe in the fourth quarter of 2011.
GM has tried to highlight the fact that the pricing of
the Ampera will be competitive with other OEMs' EV offerings, such as the
Renault Fluence EV, which will be launched across Europe in the first half of
2011. In France, Renault has announced that the Fluence will go on sale for
21,300 euro, a price that massively undercuts the Ampera. However, Renault will
lease the battery pack to customers for 79 euro a month. Customers will lease
the batteries as this is seen as a simpler model than full ownership of the
batteries in case they need replacing or fail to fulfil their expected
lifecycle or number of charge cycles. GM Europe has claimed that the Ampera
will compare well with EVs such as the Fluence as a result of the battery lease
costs, claiming in its press release that, "Some competitors choose to
split their offers for electric cars into two portions: a base price for the
car and a leasing rate for the battery pack. This does make the price appear
attractive because the battery leasing rate is not highlighted. However,
battery leases are paid monthly for several years, so the total cost is roughly
the same as a car whose total price includes both the car and the
battery." However, with the Fluence's battery leasing costs coming to 948
euro per annum, it is difficult to see how these claims stack up.
Outlook and implications
There is little doubt that the Ampera boasts some
extremely clever technology and that its range-extending conventional
powertrain eliminates the "range anxiety" issues that will be a major
factor for anyone considering buying one of the first-generation mainstream
passenger car EVs such as the Fluence. However, at this time it is somewhat
difficult to see how it will find its natural place in the market. The initial
driving experiences and real-world performances elicited from the vehicle have
varied. IHS Automotive senior analyst Aaron Bragman recently drove the car in
the United States and achieved an impressive 44 miles purely on battery power,
with three people and 150 lbs. of luggage on board. However, for other duty
cycles that do not purely rely on the electric drive component of the Ampera's
powertrain, the vehicle has recorded some somewhat disappointing fuel
efficiency figures. Recently, respected technology Web site Engadget took the
Volt on an extended test drive from Washington to New York. It found that the
vehicle ran purely on electric power for 27 miles before the range-extending
engine kicked in. The final fuel consumption for the 239.7-mile journey was
38.8 mpg. If repeated, these mileage figures would be obliterated by some of
the Ampera's conventionally powered competition in the European market. When
the model's high sticker price is taken into account, the comparison becomes
even less favourable.
Taking the German market as an example, the Ampera will
offer similar utility and cabin space to a conventional C-segment passenger
car. The German market's best-selling C1-segment car is of course the
Volkswagen (VW) Golf, with the most efficient version of the current Golf range
being the 1.6 TDI BlueMotion. The model has a claimed combined fuel economy of
3.8 litres per 100 km, or 61.9 mpg, while it also emits just 99 g/km. There has
been some debate over the best way to calculate the Ampera's carbon dioxide
(CO2) emissions, with some claiming that factors such as how the electricity
that charges the battery is generated should be taken into account. However,
published estimates appear to differ wildly, ranging from 40 g/km to 130 g/km.
However, the killer punch here is that the starting list price of the Golf 1.6
TDI BlueMotion in Germany is just 21,850 euro, almost half the Ampera's
pre-subsidy list price. In fact, keeping with the German market by way of
example, the Ampera's pricing puts it up against German premium D2-segment
sedans such as the BMW 3-Series, Audi A4, and Mercedes-Benz C-Class, all of
which may be able to match or better the Ampera's fuel consumption over longer
inter-city journeys. The BMW 316d and the 120PS Audi A4 TDI both retail for
29,500 euro in Germany. Even the comparatively high-end C-Class C200 CDI
BlueEfficiency still undercuts the Ampera at 34,173 euro. This kind of
competition may make it very difficult for the Ampera to establish itself in
the European market. GM Europe must attempt to avoid a situation whereby there
is an initial surge of demand for the Ampera from early adopters interested in
the technology, with sales then dwindling as more casually interested potential
buyers are put off by the model's high price tag. Local European production may
help ease the pricing situation to a degree, but GM Europe must find a way of
presenting the Ampera as a compelling proposition in the European market,
something that may prove difficult given its high price tag.
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27/07/2006| |
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27/07/2006| |
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21/07/2006| |
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20/07/2006| |
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20/07/2006| |
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18/07/2006| |
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16/07/2006| |
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13/07/2006| |
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12/07/2006| |
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12/07/2006| |
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07/07/2006| |
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07/07/2006| |
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06/07/2006| |
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29/06/2006| |
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29/06/2006| |
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29/06/2006| |
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29/06/2006| |
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28/06/2006| |
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26/06/2006| |
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26/06/2006| |
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21/06/2006| |
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21/06/2006| |
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20/06/2006| |
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20/06/2006| |
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04/06/2006| |
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09/05/2006| |
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03/05/2006| |
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03/05/2006| |
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03/05/2006| |
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03/05/2006| |
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18/02/2006| |
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04/02/2006| |
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04/02/2006| |
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29/01/2006| |
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23/09/2005| |
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