Opel and Vauxhall have revealed their first fully electric compact hatchback and estate in the form of the new Astra Electric and Astra Sports Tourer Electric. The models look nearly identical to their ICE-powered equivalents, but they adopt a fully electric powertrain just like the mechanically-related Peugeot E-308.
Starting with the powertrain, the EVs are fitted with a single front-mounted electric motor producing 154 hp (115 kW / 156 PS) of power and 270 Nm (199 lb-ft) of torque. While the power figure is identical to the Peugeot E-308 / E-308 SW, torque is increased by 10 Nm (7.4 lb-ft) which is kind of strange since Opel / Vauxhall are positioned underneath Peugeot in the Stellantis brand portfolio.
The driver has access to three driving modes – Eco, Normal, and Sport – prioritizing range or performance depending on the circumstances. The company didn’t reveal acceleration figures but the top speed is limited to 170 km/h (106 mph). It will be interesting to see whether the Astra Electric will be quicker in a straight line than the more powerful plug-in hybrid Astra GSe.
The 54 kWh lithium-ion battery has enough juice for a WLTP range of 416 km (258 miles), which is the same for both the hatchback and the estate. Using a 100 kWh DC fast charger, the battery can charge to 80% in 30 minutes.
Opel claims that the underbody placement of the battery doesn’t compromise space for passengers and luggage. However, the Astra Sports Tourer Electric has a cargo capacity between 516 -1,553 lt (18.2 – 54.8 cubic feet) while the ICE-powered equivalent has 608 – 1,634 liters (21 – 57.7 cubic feet).Visually, the Opel Astra Electric looks just like every other Astra.
The intakes and the slits on the Opel Visor grille at the front are retained, and the only details that give away the zero-emission nature of the model are the absence of exhaust pipes and the “e” badge on the tailgate since the charging port is located in the same place as the gas tap in petrol-powered variants. The EV comes standard with 18-inch alloy wheels in a diamond cut or fully black finish, and the sportier bumpers of the GS Line.
Inside, we find the multi-adjustable AGR-approved sports seats, optionally upholstered in Alcantara, a Pure Panel digital cockpit with dual 10-inch screens, and the head-up display. Safety equipment includes a bunch of ADAS as part of the Intelli-Drive 2.0 package together with the adaptive Intelli-Lux LED Pixel Light.
The EV will join the petrol and plug-in hybrid variants of the Opel / Vauxhall Astra range next year, with order books opening in spring 2023. Pricing will be announced closer to the market launch. There are also rumors of a fully electric hot hatch variant of the Astra, slotting above the plug-in-hybrid GSe warm hatch.
