Ampere Motors

[Elio Amazed]

Here's some of the information we've gotten from Ampere Motor USA...

• Tubular steel chassis similar to a race car's.
  
• "Warranty: 3 year, battery life about 10 years."
  
• "It is about the same height as Ferraris and Lambos."
  
• Quote: "The interior is designed to be mostly waterproof".
  
• "They will be built in California" and "There is a standard trunk in the back".
  
• Optional A/C is 70% confirmed. Final confirmation will be made by production start.
  
• It only takes a $200 refundable deposit to reserve an Ampere One.
  
• There are currently ~1000 reservations for the Ampere One.
  
• A reservation map is at http://AmpereOwners.com/usermap.php
  
• The price for Ampere One base model open roadster is $9,900 USD.
  
• The Ampere One will feature "Smart regenerative braking".
  
• Options include a removable hard top for $1500 and doors for ~$900.
  
• Quote: "First few hundred pre-orders should arrive around late summer this year."

Drive Train...

• The vehicle is rear wheel drive with a mid-mount AC motor and carbon/kevlar belt.
  
• ~15kWh LG (base model) w' a "Up to 100 miles per charge (70 miles city driving)" range.
  
• The motor produces about 50HP and the total weight is about 950lb.
  
• The 100 mile range is calculated at "About an average of 50mph"
  
• The Ampere One is compatible with level 1 and 2 charging.
  
• Ampere Motor USA gives the level 2 charging capacity at ~6kWh.
  
• No specific L1 charging capacity was given. Full charging times for L2=~2Hrs
  
• Charging times for L1=6-9 Hrs from mostly depleted and ~3.5 Hrs from 30-50% charge.
  
• Reason for high L1 rate: "Because some level one can go up to about 1.9kwh, thanks."
  
• "0-60 is about 7-8 seconds for now." Final figures will be set @ production this summer.
  
• "Top speed to limited to a safe and battery efficient 75 mph."
  
• "It is a very wide tire with 275 profile..."

Ampere Motor USA has said that there is a 150 mile range option available for ~$2000.

 

[AriLea]

Well, I took a look at the Ampere just from the website.
I think the styling is very nice, the 'mako-shark' look works well here.
But it isn't really freeway adequate. It will just barely do the freeway, and frankly it is likely a death trap in an accident. It does not have a sealed body, and the interior is open in some spots to ambient air.
But overall it does have lots of potential. It's a very-very small craft, but I personally like that.

If I ever got one, I would try and make some mods.
1) First, I'd see about putting a top on it, with (minimal) AC and heat and defroster, and wipers.
(or save all that and just do a convertible style wind-fly roof)
- a hard-top would have to be an XR3 style clamshell, given the current body design.
2) seal up the interior completely, manual control over very adequate venting,
3) some more structure in the side area, probably an internal glass box filled up with urathane foam above the battery packs
4) I'd replace the current seating layout with a staggered seating, pushing seats a little closer to center.
5) put in extra battery capacity, or a range extender (or both), or maybe a hitch for a 'power-trailer'
6) add front wheel hub motors for AWD(or alternatives), with the extra battery more to the front for better CG
7) something may have to be done about the front head lights, I don't think they are
legal height. In some designs I've put the 'real' in raised pods, and that might work in this case. And as such I'd keep the current headlights to maintain the looks but as running and fog lights.

I think these people will not get road approval for the headlights. If so they will dump that issue on the buyer as a kit car licensing. Unless I'm wrong, or this is bound to motorcycle licensing somehow with more flexibility about the location of lights.

One particular thing I like about this car, if it sells a lot, and maybe other competition steps in, either Elio or Tesla may be more enabled to get a serious commuter product into this market segment. Tesla of course will not unless they feel threatened or smell blood. But if they do, then others will too, eventually.

 

[Rob Croson]

I think these people will not get road approval for the headlights. If so they will dump that issue on the buyer as a kit car licensing. Unless I'm wrong, or this is bound to motorcycle licensing somehow with more flexibility about the location of lights.

It is a three-wheeler, so it should be titled as a motorcycle. Not sure how they will get around the headlights requirements. (I seem to remember that there was a lot of discussion about how Elio will, too.) Isn't it the Solo that added a separate center-mount headlight on the hood to vehicles for sale to US customers? Is this thing full-width like a standard four-wheeler? If so, maybe that helps them somehow in the headlight department.

 

[RUCRAYZE]

It is a three-wheeler, so it should be titled as a motorcycle. Not sure how they will get around the headlights requirements. (I seem to remember that there was a lot of discussion about how Elio will, too.) Isn't it the Solo that added a separate center-mount headlight on the hood to vehicles for sale to US customers? Is this thing full-width like a standard four-wheeler? If so, maybe that helps them somehow in the headlight department.

" it should be titled as a motorcycle."
Wasn't autocycle" (the supposed to be) designation

 

[Elio Amazed]

It is a three-wheeler, so it should be titled as a motorcycle. Not sure how they will get around the headlights requirements. (I seem to remember that there was a lot of discussion about how Elio will, too.) Isn't it the Solo that added a separate center-mount headlight on the hood to vehicles for sale to US customers? Is this thing full-width like a standard four-wheeler? If so, maybe that helps them somehow in the headlight department.

Two factors enabled the Tanom Invader to be unofficially exempt from the cyclops light.
They got a wink and a nod due to a combination of width and side by side seating.

Basically the slingshot has a center fixture just for CYA in case the NHTSA ever changes it's mind.

Ampere President Tony Chan said in an interview that the vehicle is already certified. We hope so.
It's been taking two years on average for new 3-wheeler models to become US compliance certified.

Keep in mind that there are two definitions of "certified" in play in this industry.
There is the testing and blanket certification of the production model.
That covers an unlimited number of that same model.

And then there is the relatively simple and easy one-off certification.
You do one-offs until you get blanket certification and ramp up to mass production.

 

[Rob Croson]

" it should be titled as a motorcycle."
Wasn't autocycle" (the supposed to be) designation

There is no such federal designation as "autocycle". They will be shipped for the manufacturer with a certificate denoting it as a motorcycle. Individual states have the authority to regulate the laws within the states, and many have decided to create their own "autocycle" classification. But the title will still say motorcycle.

 

[Rob Croson]

Two factors enabled the Tanom Invader to be unofficially exempt from the cyclops light.
They got a wink and a nod due to a combination of width and side by side seating.

That's quite possible. I remember reading the NHTSA (or whatever they are called) response to Morgan's request for an exemption from headlight requirements. One of the NHTSA's concerns was other drivers' confusion regarding what the vehicle was based on the light configuration. A single headlight in the middle is a motorcycle that you should keep a bit of distance away from. Two headlights spaced farther apart is a regular car. What is something with lights spaced kinda far apart but not as far apart as the full vehicle width? Basically, your vehicle looks like something it is not. Perhaps the Tanom and Ampere's vehicles, being the full width of a regular car, got some kind of exemption, since there is little to no chance of confusion. The lights are as wide as the vehicle, which is as wide as a regular car.

 

[RUCRAYZE]

Two headlights spaced farther apart is a regular car. What is something with lights spaced kinda far apart but not as far apart as the full vehicle width?
an autocycle?? :-)

 

[Mel]

Two headlights spaced farther apart is a regular car. What is something with lights spaced kinda far apart but not as far apart as the full vehicle width?
an autocycle?? :-)

That might be a Plymouth Prowler!

 

[Rob Croson]

Two headlights spaced farther apart is a regular car. What is something with lights spaced kinda far apart but not as far apart as the full vehicle width?

At night, when all you can see are the headlights, it appears to be a regular car that is much farther away that it really is.