BERLIN: General Motors’ European brand Opel plans to start selling an all-electric compact car no later than by 2017 as the carmaker is striving to meet EU emission targets, Automobilwoche reported yesterday.
The new model, dubbed internally as battery electric vehicle (BEV), will be much smaller and cheaper than the €38,300 ($52,400) Ampera electric car, the magazine said without citing the source of the information.
The GM division last September announced a price cut for the Ampera of almost €8,000 in Europe’s biggest car market for the model which can travel between 40-80 kilometres electrically and a further 500 km with a combustion engine range extender.
Opel did not return calls seeking comment.
Opel’s new electric model would be launched as part of a small-car offensive that in 2015 may also bring to the market the “City” vehicle, due to cost less than €10,000 and rival Volkswagen’s Up subcompact, Automobilwoche said.Reuters
