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The Vauxhall Ampera range-extender electric car won't go on sale in the UK until 2012, but the company has already proved its worth on Britain's roads.

Driving from Vauxhall's home in Luton to Ellesmere Port - where the car will be built - the Ampera travelled 175 electrically-driven miles, while the production version will reportedly manage 350 miles.

The reason for the Ampera's long range is its small petrol engine which acts as a generator to charge the batteries as they run flat. It can be driven up to 40 miles on electricity alone before the engine cuts in. Strictly speaking it is a hybrid but with the emphasis firmly on electric drive.

While it isn't zero-emissions beyond its plug-in range, even when the engine is in use it emits just 40g/km CO2. Running costs are claimed to be a fifth of those for an equivalent Astra.

"The Ampera will offer British motorists a groundbreaking solution to low emissions car ownership, and will prove that running an electric car no longer means being anxious about charge levels after the first few miles," said Duncan Aldred, Vauxhall's Managing Director. "What's more, its performance and refinement will surprise motorists, as will its practicality - it's a genuine proposition for green-thinking families and businesses alike."

Prices have yet to be announced but with so much new technology and around £10,000 worth of batteries alone, some are predicting a cost of around £35,000.

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