Stellantis' EV onslaught continues in Europe where the Opel/Vauxhall Astra will be offered for the first time in its 32-year run without a combustion engine. Mechanically related to the Peugeot E-308 unveiled in September, the electric compact car will also come in hatchback and estate body styles akin to its French cousin. Being based on a platform developed for ICE-powered cars, the EVs look nearly the same as their petrol and diesel counterparts.
The folks from Rüsselsheim are saying the Astra Sports Tourer Electric is the first zero-emission estate from a German marque, although Porsche would beg to differ since the Taycan Cross/Sport Turismo models are also long-roof EVs. Much like the Peugeot E-308, the silent Astra is a front-wheel-drive-only affair with a single electric motor. It puts out an identical 153 bhp (114 kilowatts), but torque is surprisingly up by 10 Newton-metres (7 pound-feet) to 270 Nm (199 lb-ft).
The differences in Opel/Vauxhall's favour continue as the electric Astra can cover 416 kilometres (258 miles) on a full charge whereas the E-308 is rated at 400 km (248.5 miles) per the same WLTP cycle. The two models share the same 54-kWh battery pack with a usable capacity of 51 kWh. It takes about half an hour to juice up the battery to 80 percent when charging from a 100-kW DC station.
Opel/Vauxhall points out that while "many other electric cars" have a top speed capped at either 150 km/h (93 mph) or 160 km/h (99 mph), its Astra EV duo maxes out at 170 km/h (106 mph). In terms of practicality, the estate can swallow 516 litres behind the rear seats and 1,553 litres once you fold them. As expected, the volume is considerably down compared to the ICE-powered (608 litres and 1,634 litres, respectively).
Spicy Hybrids From Opel:
Going on sale next spring, the purely electric Astra complements the range-topping GSe version, a plug-in hybrid model with 221 bhp (165 kW) and 360 Nm (265 lb-ft). The Grand Sport Electric also comes in both body styles and you can have the PHEV setup on equivalent versions of the Peugeot 308 as well.
With plenty of new EVs on the horizon, Stellantis is effectively signalling the beginning of the end for its ICEs in Europe where all of its many brands will sell only electric cars by 2030.
Order books open for the Astra Electric will open in early 2023 with deliveries expected from June 2023. The Astra Sports Tourer Electric orders wiill open in the Summer with deliveries commencing towards the end of the year. UK pricing and specs will be announced closer to the start of sales.
Source: Opel