The Opel Ampera-e of the 2017-2019 generation is a somewhat forgotten occasion. But it is a real opportunity in the land of second-hand electric cars. No used EV offers so much for the money, even if the price is not necessarily that bad. We explain why.
In 2017, General Motors released a surprisingly good and complete EV, the Ampera-e, which was also known as the Chevrolet Bolt. The latter ended up in dire straits because a few caught fire in the US. There was another thing: the Ampera-e found it difficult to lose its torque (360 Nm). Press the power pedal too hard and abruptly with the wrong tires and you will lose it. On a wet roundabout, for example. Apart from that, the used Opel Ampera-e is a very interesting occasion, despite its 1-phase charger.
Surprising range
Salesman Tim de Ruiter of Opel dealer Motorhuis in Leiden: “People are especially surprised about the range of this car, because it was quite an ‘early’ EV. We do notice that the uncertainty about road tax from 2025 is actually making people more cautious. But it is also a lot of EV for your money.” We would say that too, but it is true. How?
opel ampera-e
Recall
Ampera-e’s from 2017 onwards will receive a new battery pack under warranty. The recall was initiated two years ago, but it is only now the turn of some owners. A spokesperson for Opel Netherlands said: “All drivers have of course been informed and eighty percent of the Ampera-e’s have now been equipped with a new package.”
Such a ‘treated’ Ampera-e as a used car is a camouflaged gift: a car with complete equipment, with a good range and a fresh battery so that you can plug in for years without any worries. Below 20 grand becomes more difficult, but look at the prices of new EVs, you won’t have a new one for a long time.
Bacon
Ampera-e driver Ron Koopmanschap from Almere is one of those lucky ones with a recently overhauled Ampera-e. He got a completely new battery pack for zero cents. Ron started his electric career with a Chevrolet Volt in 2012 and five years later, on Friday April 13, 2018, he got into a new Ampera-e. On Friday the thirteenth… “I haven’t regretted it for a moment,” said Ron. “I was stranded once while traveling in Italy, on holiday. But that was because the local Opel dealer simply refused to work on the car. Did he think it was scary or something? The car malfunctioned during fast charging and a reset would have been enough to solve this, but they rejected this because they felt they did not know the car enough.”
Grip ahead
Ron is a technician by trade and knows the Opel inside and out. “The wheel hub sealing rings have already been replaced on every Ampera and then of course there was the issue of grip of the front tires, or better yet, the lack thereof. Accelerate on a wet road at a roundabout and you could easily lose it. The front train could not handle the sudden increase in power. I had Continental Premium Contact 7 installed underneath and they work well. With the Bridgestones before I had no grip. “
Replaced as a precaution
Two years ago a letter from Opel Netherlands. “In the US there were problems with fully charging to 100% the Chevrolet Bolt, the sister model of the Ampera-e. There was a risk of fire. Opel first offered a software update so that you could only charge up to 96% and the advice was not to drop below 10%. The icing on the cake followed later: as a precaution, the battery pack would be replaced under warranty.” This recently happened at Ron’s Ampera-e. To emphasize his pride about the Ampera-e, Ron points out the capacity of the battery that has been replaced. “There was still 57.1 KwH of the original 58 left,” he beams. After 140,000 kilometers, so that’s neat. Ron didn’t find it surprising. “I drive between 380 and 420 kilometers on a battery, with an average consumption of 13.8 KwH per 100 kilometers. The battery did that until the very end, so I knew it was all right.”
What does that cost now?
The range of used Opel Ampera-e is quite good. But those prices don’t seem to be that bad. Roughly speaking, the range varies from €17,000 to €23,000. Amperas with more than a ton on the counter dip below the magical 20 grand, but the longer it remains unclear what the road tax will look like for EVs, the more those prices come under pressure. But for the time being, used Opel Ampera-e are not yet on sale. Also: good value for money.
Out of the shadows
The Ampera came in 2017. Everything you need in the basic Ampera-e is there. The regeneration system works great, braking with the foot brake is hardly necessary. Too bad about those thick A-pillars for the view all around. And a used Opel Ampera-e is not a very refined car to drive and operate. But this is offset by favorable consumption. Someone who is handy with regeneration can easily exceed the factory specification of 15.3 kWh per 100 kilometers.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl