· European competition: Opel ecoFLEX Experience starts in April
· Online registration at www.opel.ie possible immediately
Rüsselsheim. The motto says it all: “Green Drivers Wanted!” Opel is looking for Europe’s greenest driver during the ecoFLEX Experience, a unique European competition where ambitious entrants can show off their fuel-efficient, environmentally friendly driving skills. Opel will provide just the right cars with models from its ecoFLEX series. The competition starts April 1 and the winner will take home one of the first Opel Ampera cars ever built. The extended-range electric vehicle will go on sale in 2011.
Top ecoFLEX models: Corsa, Astra and Insignia
Low fuel consumption is one of the key criteria for many car buyers, particularly in Ireland, where vehicles with low CO2 output can afford substantial savings in tax. Opel offers customers a broad range of fuel efficient models in its ecoFLEX portfolio: Agila, Corsa and Astra ecoFLEX models all qualify for tax band A with road tax of just €104 per annum, while Insignia and Zafira ecoFLEX models qualify for tax band B, with road tax of just €156 per annum.
Ampera seeks an owner: Starting signal for pan-European fuel-saving event
When the ecoFLEX Experience kicks off April 1, Opel will be looking throughout the continent for the driver who squeezes every last efficient drop out of the Opel models’ fuel-saving potential. Drivers must first show their fuel efficiency smarts in an online quiz before moving to an Internet simulator to prove their virtual driving and gas-saving abilities. The best – the most environmentally friendly driver from each of the 20 participating countries – will be invited to a multi-day event in Sweden this summer. Under the supervision of professionals, the finalists will square off in a pan-European competition at the Sturup Raceway in Malmö. The greenest driver will then be named the ecoFLEX Experience champion. The winner can look forward to a special prize: one of the very first Opel Ampera production cars, which guarantee the environmentally friendly mobility of tomorrow. Interested participants can register online now.
The pre-production model of the Extended-Range Electric Vehicle (E-REV) recently successfully completed its first long-distance drive on public roads with a trip from Rüsselsheim to Geneva. The Ampera’s 16 kWh lithium-ion battery allows it to travel 60 kilometers electrically – completely emission-free. After that, a gasoline-fueled engine starts to generate electricity to drive the wheels for the remainder of the journey. And there’s plenty of driving fun along the way: The exceptionally quiet 111 kW/150 hp electric motor delivers 370 Newton meters of torque from a standstill. It accelerates the Ampera from zero to 100 km/h in around nine seconds and can reach a maximum speed of 161 km/h.