Opel has presented the first electric variant of the Astra powered solely by batteries that will be available in both compact and family versions. With the arrival of the already historic model of the German brand of the Stellantis electric propulsion system, Opel completes the range of the sixth generation of this model. Debuting a new battery with 811 cells and a new 154 hp engine, the Astra does not follow the well-known Corsa-e, Mokka-e, and Zafira-e in the nomenclature, but is renamed Astra Electric.
No surprises were expected in the design of the new Opel Astra Electric and it has been. The sixth generation of the Opel compact was presented in September 2021 and its design hardly varies in the case of the electric version. Following the strategy of the Stellantis Group, to which the German brand now belongs, the same EMP2 platform and the same bodywork are used for the combustion, hybrid and electric versions. Therefore, a different design would not have made much sense. The distinctive feature, the grille ‘Opel Vizor’black on the front now characterizes the brand as part of the group’s strategy of using identical parts for many of its models, to save costs and take advantage of synergies between brands. Yes, the 18-inch wheels with a diamond tread that will be optionally available in black are exclusive.
The same applies to the propulsion technology, although here some differences must be highlighted. Opel uses the same technology for the Astra Electric and Astra Sports Tourer Electric that is already known from their corresponding sister models at Peugeot, the e-308 and e-308 SW. For the electric motor, Stellantis changes the 100 kW (134 PS) unit previously supplied by Vitesco Technologies to a 115 kW (154 PS) unit made by its joint venture with Nidec. This electric motor, built-in Trémery, France, offers 270 Nm of maximum torque and allows a top speed of 170 km/h.
Range
The energy to power this engine is stored in a new 54 kW gross capacity (51 kWh useful) lithium-ion battery. Inside it has new cells with NCM 811 ternary chemistry (80% nickel, 10% cobalt, and 10% manganese). The range that Opel announces for the new Astra is 416 kilometers. In the case of the Corsa-e, Mokka-e, and Zafira-e, Opel implements the previous generation of 50 kWh gross batteries, around 45 kWh useful.
This is the most important novelty that Astra Electric brings, for which Opel says in its press release that it has achieved an average consumption of 12.7 kWh/100 km, a very low figure that would demonstrate the efficiency of the new train. Stellantis power. Previous Stellantis models with the 100 kW motor have not stood out in tests for their efficiency. The new Astra Electric now has to prove that the switch to the Nidec engine is worth it in terms of consumption (and therefore range). Opel affirms that thanks to the reduction in consumption, the Astra Electric is “not only the perfect and efficient companion in everyday life”, but in the “5-door Sport Tourer and family” version, it is also an ideal motorhome for longer trips. long”.
As standard, the Opel Astra Electric mounts an 11 kW three-phase onboard charger (compatible with domestic chargers from 3.7 kW) for linked and occasional (public) recharging. For charging at high-power stations up to 100 kW, Opel claims it can recover from 0 to 80 percent in 30 minutes. These figures depend on various circumstances such as the capacity with which the car reaches the recharging point, the battery temperature, or even the outside temperature. Until now, the electric 308 was capable of recovering from 20 to 80 percent in 25 minutes.
Thanks to the fact that the battery is packed in the lower rear of the car, under the passenger compartment, the space inside and in the trunk is maintained concerning the combustion versions. According to Opel, the Astra Sports Tourer Electric has between 516 and 1,533 liters of space, the same as internal combustion vehicles or plug-in hybrids already available.
Inside, the Astra Electric will be identical to the rest of the range based on two 10-inch screens, one for instrumentation and another, central and horizontal, for information and entertainment. Information and graphics related to its 100% electric nature are added to them. It, therefore, adopts the same “bold and pure” design principles created by lead designer Mark Adams, focusing on an overall simplification of the displays and driving controls.
Opel Astra Electric Price
Opel has not yet given information on the prices of Astra Electric, but it intends to open the order book in spring 2023. The sixth-generation plug-in hybrid Astra is currently on sale for 37,999.84 euros without aid. The Sports Tourer PHEV version is announced as available soon.
