Opel has taken the decision to postpone the launch of its new hybrid plug-in model Ampera, the European twin of Chevrolet Volt. The move comes in the wake of the safety issues concerning the batteries of the Volt, issues that forced General Motors to announce that the all-electric Chevrolet Spark will be equipped with different lithium-ion batteries.

American authorities are still investigating the three cases of Chevrolet Volts catching fire in the aftermath of standard crash tests, with the flames that were generated by sparks coming off the battery package. Opel announced that until the investigation will shed light on the causes of the inconvenience, the whole process will be put on hold.

Opel has already begun to distribute the Ampera to its dealership networks in Germany, France, Switzerland, Holland and Belgium, while Chevrolet has already launched the Volt in Europe with the symbolic delivery of two units to the American embassy in France. A Chevrolet spokeperson confirmed that the investigation carried on by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the US over the fire risk of the model will not be affecting the schedule of its launch in Europe.

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