Opel will release fully electric Astra in 2023
Car manufacturer Opel, part of the Stellantis group that also includes Fiat, Peugeot and Citroën, will introduce a fully electrically powered version of its Astra hatchback in 2023. The company does not provide any further details or specifications about the battery car.
Opel says the fully electrified Astra, or Astra-e, will appear a year after the sixth-generation Astra model’s market launch. The regular and hybrid versions of the Astra will appear from early next year; that probably means the all-electric version will be available in early 2023.
In 2023, the comparable Peugeot E-308 will also come on the market and there will also be an electric variant of the DS 4-hatchback. Those cars also come from the Stellantis stable. In the same year, the company will also introduce the new modular eVMP platform intended for electric vehicles. However, it is more likely that the new fully powered hatchbacks such as the Astra-e will be built on a further developed version of the EMP2 platform. This platform is also the basis for regular versions with a combustion engine only. The eVMP platform is intended for cars in the c-segment, such as the Astra, and the d-segment and can accommodate batteries with a capacity of a minimum of 60kWh and a maximum of 100kWh.
The originally German car manufacturer does not provide further specifications about the yet to be released Astra-e, such as the capacity of the battery pack. The company will only offer electric cars in Europe from 2028 and promises that by 2024, electrified versions of all models will also be available, which may also include plug-in hybrids. Opel already has several fully electrically powered models, such as the Corsa-e and Mokka-e.
The sixth generation of the hatchback also means the introduction of two plug-in hybrids. These will be available early next year and both have a 12.4 kWh battery on board. According to Opel, this means that fully electric driving is possible for up to 60 kilometers on the basis of preliminary findings and on the basis of the WLTP standard. The difference between the two versions lies in the engine power of the turbocharged petrol engine still present. The stated fuel consumption for both would be an average of 1.1 to 1.4 liters per 100 km. Prices will be announced in October.