A few weeks with the Peugeot 308, it’s the turn of the Opel Astra to offer an unprecedented electric version. And not surprisingly, the two compacts share the same technical characteristics, with two versions: sedan and station wagon.
Opel, like all other car manufacturers, will soon become a 100% electric brand. And the year 2028 has been chosen for the end of thermal engines in its range, while the European Union wants to ban the sale of internal combustion cars from 2035 anyway.
Until then, the German firm only offered two electric models, namely the Corsa-e and the Mokka-e. But now it is slowly starting to catch up, with the arrival of a new alternative just unveiled.
Subtle changes
Whether the Opel Astra is available in several internal combustion and plug-in hybrid versions, like its technical cousin, the Peugeot 308, we had known for several months that a 100% electric variant was also planned. It is now done, while the German firm, bought by PSA in 2017 and now integrated into the Franco-Italian group Stellantis has just revealed its characteristics.
At first glance, it’s hard to see the difference between the thermal Astra and this newcomer, which is available as a sedan and a Sports Tourer station wagon. Indeed, and as for the Corsa-e, the designers wanted to keep a style close to the versions with a petrol or diesel engine. Only the discreet “e” logo affixed to the back as well as the exclusive 18-inch rims distinguish this Astra Electric. The facies, sporting the famous Opel Vizor is renewed.
On board, the presentation remains completely unchanged, since we find the Pure Panel, this large digital panel combining a digital handset and a 10-inch touch screen each. The latter benefits from new features exclusive to this electric version, such as the display of the state of charge of the battery as well as the autonomy.
The press release from the brand specifies that the driver can also benefit from a head-up display, as well as voice recognition. The optional ergonomic seats are approved by AGR, the German association for back health.
Taking advantage of batteries housed under the floor, as on most current electric cars, this Opel Astra displays a trunk volume oscillating between 516 and 1,553 liters in its break version. As a reminder, the thermal model varies between 540 and 1,630 liters, while the interior dimensions of the electric compact have not been announced.
No surprises
Based on the same EMP2 platform as the recently formalized Peugeot e-308, the new Opel Astra Electric also incorporates the engine. No great revolution therefore, since this new arrival in the range has a 115 kW motor, the equivalent of 156 horsepowerwhile the torque differs slightly since it is displayed at 270 Nm on the German, against 260 for the French.
If the 0 to 100 km / h has not been specified, the firm emphasizes that the maximum speed is limited to 170 km / h. The NMC 811 battery (nickel, cobalt and manganese) of 54 kWh (51 useful kWh) is also renewed, allowing the compact and the station wagon to travel up to 416 kilometers according to the mixed WLTP homologation cycle. Consumption is displayed at 12.7 kWh/100 km and of course varies according to the driving mode chosen, among Eco, Normal and Sport.
If the Opel press release does not confirm it, this Astra Electric logically resumes the 400 volt architecture of the e-308, which does not allow it to benefit from very fast recharging compared to the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and other Kia EV6 equipped with an 800-volt system. It then takes 30 minutes to fill the battery to 80%, at a maximum power of 100 kW, against 18 minutes for the Koreans. Note that the compact comes standard with an 11 kW three-phase on-board charger, allowing it to be connected to a wallbox at home.
Competing with the MG 4 and MG 5 in its Sports Tourer version, but also with the Renault Mégane E-Tech and other Volkswagen ID.3s, this new Opel Astra Electric will therefore have a lot to do to distinguish itself in this competitive market. If its price is not yet known, the brand announces thatit will be available to order from spring 2023.
We will probably have to wait for the next generation, which will probably be based on a brand new STLA platform designed by Stellantis and dedicated to electric models to take advantage of an 800-volt architecture.
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