[Duncan]

Which field are you guys looking at? My V5 has taxation class: electric and type of fuel: electricity. Unless I've missed something it looks like the V5 is another subtle difference between Volt and Ampera.

 

[Duncan]

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

I just looked up my Volt on thatcham.org, and it looks like I've got more doors than you!

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
VAUXHALL        AMPERA EARTH            2012 On 1398    P       A               4               20              E               T1              148     4
VAUXHALL        AMPERA ELECTRON 1       2012 On 1398    E       A               4               21              E               T1              148     4
VAUXHALL        AMPERA POSITIV  1       2012 On 1398    E       A               4               20              E               T1              148     4

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

 

[Duncan]

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 saw a possible explanation of the insurance groups in one of the reviews back about February or March: they reckoned that with fewer dealers spares for the Volt might be harder to come by, so that pushes the insurance group up by 1, but because the purchase price is lower the actual cost of the insurance will be about the same.