The Chevrolet Volt’s European twin, the Opel Ampera, will be making its inaugural appearance at this year’s edition of the international Rally Monte Carlo.
All in all, six Ampera sedans will participate in the “Alternative Energy” version of the rally, which starts in Annecy-le-Vieux, Clermont-Ferrand and Lugano on March 22 and finishes three days later in the capital of Monaco, Monte Carlo.
The Ampera will be competing against some 150 green cars that are expected to take part this year. The Tesla Roadster was the winner of the last two competitions.
In order to participate in the Monte Carlo Rally for Alternative Energy Vehicles, a car must emit less than 115g/km of CO2. The goal is to cover a certain distance and maintain a constant speed while using as little energy as possible.
The Ampera, which was recently crowned 2012 Car of the Year in Europe, is equipped with an electric motor that drives the wheels and a conventional petrol engine that kicks in to produce electricity once the batteries are depleted.
The electric propulsion system produces up to 150-horsepower and instant torque of 370Nm (273 lb-ft) allowing for a zero to 100 km/h acceleration time of around nine seconds and a top speed of 161 km/h (100mph).
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