Group strategy requires, Opel, in the lap of Stellantis, offers its compact Astra the same powertrain as the Peugeot e-308. Both in the 5-door sedan version and the Sports Tourer station wagon, the Astra therefore becomes Astra-e, which therefore brings the number of engines available on this compact to four, including the diesel, petrol, plug-in hybrid and electric offer.
The range of all-electric models of the Blitz therefore continues to expand and now has six models covering the segments of the city car (Corsa-e) to the family (Combo e-Life, Zafira e-Life) through the compact with Mokka-e and now Astra-e. In addition, the manufacturer does not hesitate to remind us that the Astra Sports Tourer Electric is “the first station wagon from a 100% electric German manufacturer”. In the field of breaks, moreover, the competition is not very developed since we only count for the moment the sister e-308 SW and the MG5 break.
The electric Astra won’t hit the roads until next year, but Opel is already lifting the veil on a few technical details. Under the hood, there is therefore a 156 hp (115 kW) electric motor capable of delivering a maximum torque of 270 Nm, powered by a lithium-ion battery (102 cells housed in 17 modules) of 54 kWh promising up to 416 km.
If the performance is arbitrary with a 0 to 100 km / h shot in 8 s and a maximum speed of 170 km / h, the charging time from 10 to 80% would be 30 min thanks to a maximum charging power of 100 kW on DC fast charging and 11 kW on AC DC. The manufacturer announces a combined consumption of 14.9 kWh / 100 km according to WLTP standards, which we will not fail to verify.
Available in a Sports Tourer station wagon version, the electric Astra offers a boot volume ranging from 516 to 1,553 l. A value unfortunately still lower than the PHEV version, which is content with 548 l, itself already amputated by 80 l (628 l) compared to the full thermal version.
For the rest, apart from the appearance of an “e” on the tailgate, nothing distinguishes this electric version from other versions of the Astra. We therefore find a sharp pencil line and taut lines on the bodywork. A style that we appreciate in writing, thanks in particular to the Vizor grille incorporating adaptive Matrix LED lighting.
In terms of equipment, depending on the trim levels, the electric Astra will include, among other things, 360° panoramic vision, keyless start, an induction smartphone charger, adaptive front headlights, digital instrumentation and a 10-inch infotainment screen each, as well as an Intelli-Drive 1.0 driver assistance package and level 2 semi-autonomous driving. The E-HUD head-up display will also be part of the part.
A small point to highlight: the Opel Astra in the PHEV and electric version retains manual air conditioning adjustment controls, unlike the Peugeot e-308…
For the moment, the price is not yet known, just like that of the e-308 for that matter. As a reminder, the starting catalog price of the 180 hp PHEV Plug-in version of the Astra sedan starts at €38,600. Among the competition, the cheapest electric Megane starts at €35,200. The MG4 starts at €28,990 with the small 51 kWh battery.