[Parax]

I think (from memory) mine is the same. I understand that the 'other' hybrids are "Petrol Hybrid" whereas this is classed as "Electric Hybrid". There is a distinction.

 

[Parax]

My V5 says "Hybrid Elec"
Another strange description is on my insurance document (the Post Office) they insist that the Ampera is a 4 door saloon and will not alter their description despite several attempts to get them to correct it. :roll:

They probably can't correct it... Most Insurance systems are driven from a standard List known as ABI codes, the rest of the information is done by lookup from this standard list.
Don't worry about it, as long as they know its an Ampera they cant hold anything against you.

I've just had a look at the tables and the floorplan data only seem to indicate in the number of doors and whether it is convertible or an estate, so it seems that saloon/hatch is the default 'other'.
The funny thing is that the most recent list is showing the Earth as Petrol! rather than Electric Like the Electron and Positiv.

Make		Model				CC	Years		Plan	Engine	Trn	ABI Code	Term	Security	ABI Group (1-50)	
VAUXHALL	AMPERA EARTH		1398	-2012		--4--	P		A	52136901	E		T1			20				Green
VAUXHALL	AMPERA ELECTRON	1398	-2012		--4--	E		A	52137101	E		T1			21				Green
VAUXHALL	AMPERA POSITIV	 1398	-2012		--4--	E		A	52137001	E		T1			20				Green

 

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Manufacturer    Model           Series  Year    CC      Fuel    Gear Box        No. of Doors    Group (1-50)    Group Type      Security        BHP     Seats
CHEVROLET       VOLT            1       2012 On 1398    E       A               5               22              E               T1              148     5

Hmm. Apparently I should have more seats too, but they seem to have forgotten to fit the fifth one.

ha! yup, but why is it a grp 22? its a cheaper car so you'd expect it to rate lower. Maybe its that extra seat! that'll be 5 whiplash claims instead of 4 on the ampera! or maybe the vauxhall lifetime warranty is helping to reduce theirs.

I'm guessing that the 4 door is why it's listing as a saloon as opposed to a 5 door hatch.

I Also noticed that the ABI code for the Earth is a lower number than the positive/electron so it was submitted in the normal spec first!

 

[Parax]

I don't really like the term hybrid at all it doesn't tell you anything about a car other than it's not standard. It's too broadly used to mean anything in particular, hence Paul's interpretation above.

But I'd be careful to keep dual fuel in a separate category. I wouldn't like to call an LPG car a hybrid, after all I don't consider it a very green solution. (lower calorific value means you burn twice as much giving same overall energy per carbon emmissions, and its fossil not renewable) but a dual fuel electric petrol is greener...

if you look at a Prius it's primary fuel is petrol but, it does technically have a second fuel source, and just because you don't fill it up doesn't mean its not a fuel (just as you don't fill up a solar car) but by exploiting something that all other cars give off to the environment, that being regeneration from the braking energy, there is a second energy store available to the drive-train. albeit a very minor amount in comparison with other duel fuels.

so I guess the question becomes is self generating/collecting/accumulating fuel a second fuel source?