Vauxhall Ampera hatchback (2012-2014) - MPG, running costs & CO2

No two ways about it – the Ampera is an expensive car to buy. And that’s even with the government’s electric-vehicle grant of £5,000 taken in to account. The Vauxhall costs thousands of pounds more than most of its electric, hybrid and even diesel rivals. However, once you’ve got over the Ampera's whopping price tag, the reward is super-low daily running costs. Charging the battery fully costs about £1, which gives you a range of about 50 miles, depending on how hard you push the car and how many gadgets you have turned on.

It also qualifies for 5% BiK (Benefit-in-Kind) company-car tax, which is particularly low, while owners don't have to pay road tax or the London Congestion Charge. However, electric-car resale values are still something of an unknown in the long-term, so you risk losing a lot of money in depreciation when the times comes to sell.

Vauxhall Ampera MPG & CO2

Official CO2 emissions are a rock-bottom 27g/km, while the claimed fuel economy figure is a stupendous 235.4mpg, so there's no road tax to pay and you'll spend hardly any time or money in petrol stations.

Vauxhall Ampera insurance group

Even though there’s only one engine in the Ampera, the two trim levels (Positiv and Electron) have different insurance ratings: group 20 and 21 respectively. The Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid will be cheaper to cover, as it’s in insurance group 15, while the all-electric Nissan Leaf will be costlier, falling into group 22.

Vauxhall Ampera warranty

The Ampera gets the same basic three-year/60,000-mile warranty as any other Vauxhall (and a lot of other cars), but the battery pack has an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty for added peace of mind.

Vauxhall Ampera servicing

Vauxhall claims servicing costs will be less than for a conventional car, as the Ampera has simpler mechanicals and fewer moving parts. The brand also offers free collection and delivery if the car needs servicing or fixing, plus a courtesy replacement car, too.