Considering importing an Ampera (not Ampera-E)

n97 mini

Does anyone know anyone who has imported one? The Revenue don't have it listed on their VRT calculator so I'm wondering what their valuations are like.

The servicing etc doesn't bother me.

I'd see it as an i3 Rex alternative. I could live with the shorter electric range as I wouldn't have any of the ugliness.

zilog_jones

There's someone in Cork with one, but I don't know if they're on boards.

unkel

It's surprising you don't see more of them here. It could replace the main (diesel, petrol or hybrid) family car for a lot of families. Just looked it up and the EPA range on pure electric is 56km on the first generation and 61km on the second generation. That's quite adequate for a lot of people for day to day driving

What charging do they have? AC / DC, speeds? I guess with a setup like that just AC 3.3kW would be adequate (home or destination charging). I presume bringing in a second hand one qualifies for the home charger €600 subsidy?

n97 mini

unkel wrote: »

It's surprising you don't see more of them here. It could replace the main (diesel, petrol or hybrid) family car for a lot of families. Just looked it up and the EPA range on pure electric is 56km on the first generation and 61km on the second generation. That's quite adequate for a lot of people for day to day driving

What charging do they have? AC / DC, speeds? I guess with a setup like that just AC 3.3kW would be adequate (home or destination charging). I presume bringing in a second hand one qualifies for the home charger €600 subsidy?

Yeah, the only real alternative available here is the Outlander, but I was never a 4x4 person... I don't live in D4 and there aren't many mountain roads around Leixlip.

AFAIK it charges at 3.6kw, regardless of A/C source.

Dunno about the €600 subsidy.

Alkers

Did you get any further with this?

ELM327

unkel wrote: »

It's surprising you don't see more of them here. It could replace the main (diesel, petrol or hybrid) family car for a lot of families. Just looked it up and the EPA range on pure electric is 56km on the first generation and 61km on the second generation. That's quite adequate for a lot of people for day to day driving

What charging do they have? AC / DC, speeds? I guess with a setup like that just AC 3.3kW would be adequate (home or destination charging). I presume bringing in a second hand one qualifies for the home charger €600 subsidy?

3.3kW AC type 1
~10kWh usable


Yes it qualifies for the grant.


Great car, I considered one but I couldnt get the work charger installed until I actually bought an EV and I wasnt prepared to buy an EV that would have to do approx 50% of my commute on petrol at around 35-40 mpg, in the interim.


These (well the sister Chevrolet Volt) do 200-300k miles in the US with very little or no battery degradation. GM only allows you to use 60% of the available battery so it has huge isolation buffer at the top and bottom end, and you can only charge it at 3kW so realistically these battery packs are bullet proof.


lots of youtube videos about them. James and Kate did a review recently. (I normally avoid them after the leaf 2.0 propaganda video)

n97 mini

Simona1986 wrote: »

Did you get any further with this?

No. Haven't really been looking too hard. Will start in earnest though quite soon, as an Ampera would suit our needs better than the Leaf we currently own.

TomOnBoard

n97 mini wrote: »

No. Haven't really been looking too hard. Will start in earnest though quite soon, as an Ampera would suit our needs better than the Leaf we currently own.

I've been watching these for a while. They seem to be very scarce in the UK which is a pity as they (and the Volt) are great cars. And of course, no RHD versions of the Bolt/Ampera-e being made.