The Opel Ampera and the Chevrolet Volt made history today as the cars’ 1.4-liter engine walked away with the ‘International Engine of the Year Award.’ The engine, which put behind 44 other competitors, became the first range-extending powertrain to win the award. The award was accepted from Engine Technology International magazine by Uwe Winter, Opel vehicle line directory and chief engineer.

Having won the award highlights the company’s achievement in successfully uniting the environmental friendliness of an electric drive with the long range of a combustion engine. The judging panel consisted of 76 motoring journalists from 35 countries, with 12 categories of powertrains contesting. The Ampera and the Volt have together won several awards before this, including the ‘World Green Car of the Year 2011′ and the ‘Car of the Year 2012′ in Europe.

The 111kW/150hp electric motor in the Ampera/Volt is powered by a 16kWh lithium ion battery. While the wheels of the car are always electrically powered, the car can run in purely battery-operated mode fro about 40 to 80 kilometers. The distance solely depends on the style of driving and road conditions. Once the battery has been exhausted, the power source is then seamlessly switched to the generator driven by the 1.4-liter, 63kW/86hp gasoline engine. In the extended range mode, the car is capable of staying on the road for more than 500 kilometers.