What Car? has named the Vauxhall Ampera as its Green Car of the Year 2011.

What Car? editor-in-chief, Chas Hallett said: “The Vauxhall Ampera represents a massive step for alternative-fuel cars. It offers all the benefits of owning an electric vehicle with virtually none of the drawbacks. It gives motorists the ability to dramatically reduce their emissions without changing their lifestyle, which is exactly what green cars need to do.”

The Ampera’s Voltec system helps it achieve 175mpg and combined emissions of below 40g/km, according to official R(EC) 715/2007 regulations for measuring fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

Drivers can expect between 25-50 miles of zero-tailpipe emissions motoring (often enough for a typical daily commute), yet it can be driven for up to 310 miles without having to re-charge the battery or replenish the fuel tank.

“The Ampera takes Vauxhall into a new era,” said Duncan Aldred, Vauxhall’s managing director.

“It can genuinely be considered a car that can perform a full range of family duties, with its four-seats and five-door body. Yet its 100mph performance and brisk acceleration mean that it can hold its own in the cut and thrust of everyday motoring, unlike many EVs currently on sale.”