ONE of TV’s most popular number crunchers, Carol Vorderman, MBE, has become the latest celebrity to see if owning a Vauxhall Ampera really adds up.

The former co-host of the popular numbers game show Countdown tried out the car in support of the Go Ultra Low partnership between the UK automotive industry and the government, designed to encourage more drivers to consider ultra low emission vehicles (ULEVs).

Vorderman was keen to get involved with the project, saying: “I’m obsessed with engines, cars and aeroplanes, and with a degree in engineering, I’ve always been fascinated by how things work.”

As a busy working mum, Vorderman was at first wary that driving a ULEV would just add to her to do list.  However, after a couple of months driving the Ampera she concluded: “Actually quite the opposite is true, it’s easy.  You come home, plug it in, you go away and come back in the morning and it’s fully charged.

“Journeys in and out of Bristol are shorter, so the range on the Vauxhall Ampera with the electric motor itself is perfect for me.  It gets me through the day and I don’t have to go to the petrol station which long-term, saves me a considerable amount of money.”

Denis Chick, director of communications, Vauxhall Motors, said: “She is a perfect example of the kind of person we are trying to reach with the Go Ultra Low campaign.  There are many myths surrounding ULEV’s which simply aren’t true; as Carol’s experience has proven, the Vauxhall Ampera performs for just about any lifestyle today.”

The car has a battery range of between 25-50 miles and can be charged by a 240V plug on a separate circuit in your home. It has a 1.4-litre petrol range-extending generator, which provides up to an additional 300-plus mile range.

Ampera pricing starts at £28,750 on-the-road (including a £5,000 government grant) for the Positiv model.

You can watch Carol Vorderman demonstrate why her Ampera is helping her to ‘Go Ultra Low’ here.

Small business owners wanting to check out whether Vorderman’s sums work for them should visit our company car tax calculator.

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