Santa retires his reindeers this Christmas with the Vauxhall slEigh-REV – ho ho ho!

Stressed at work? Here’s some news to cheer you up. According to GM’s UK outpost Vauxhall, Santa Claus has been in contact with them to request “swift and ultra-clean transport” for his annual blast around the world to deliver presents on December 24.

The jolly fat man said: “The ’08 Model Year reindeers have taken a rest this Christmas. In their old age they’re becoming more flatulent and their increasing methane emissions just can’t be good for the environment – never mind the fact I have to sit behind them.

“I’m as pleased as punch with my new slEigh-REV supplied to me by those kind people in Luton (Vauxhall’s HQ). They tell me it uses specially adapted E-REV (extended range electric vehicle) technology from their upcoming Ampera electric car, which means I won’t have to worry about re-charging as I do my chimney drops around the world on Christmas Eve.”

The slEigh-REV is propelled by an electric motor, and if juice is running low, Santa can count on a gasoline engine – just like the Opel/Vauxhall Ampera which goes on sale in early 2012. The Ampera is the European version of the Chevrolet Volt, which differs from hybrids by having electric to power its wheels at all times and all speeds – its 75 bhp 1.4-litre engine only works as a generator to supply the car electricity should the batteries go weak. The plug-in Volt’s battery-only EV range is 64 km and the total extended range is “over 480 km”.