Stellar 2023 Line-up: New Astra Electric Leads Opel Electrification Offensive

• Electric debut: Compact class bestseller fully electric for the first time
• Electrifying: Dealer debuts for Astra GSe, Astra Sports Tourer GSe and Grandland GSe
• Excitement guaranteed: ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup entering third season

Ho ho ho – Opel and Santa wish everybody a Merry Christmas! In order to deliver all the presents in time and, above all, unnoticed for the big festive season and make children’s eyes light up, Father Christmas from Rüsselsheim will hit the road in the new Opel Astra GSe. With the top-of-the-line plug-in hybrid, he is swift, quiet and locally emission-free. He just has to be careful not to attract too much attention with the newcomer with the Opel Vizor – otherwise it will be difficult to make his stealthy deliveries…

2022, the year in which Opel celebratevd its 160^th anniversary, was already dominated by the latest Astra generation. For example, customers can already experience the new Astra five-door for themselves at the dealerships and an ever-increasing number are already enjoying their very own Astra. The coming year will be just as emotional and electrifying, as Opel continues on its path in 2023: the electrification offensive continues to pick up speed and will be led by the new Opel Astra Electric. The Mokka Electric will also have more power under its bold and pure bonnet – including an extended battery-electric range. The top models of the dynamic GSe sub-brand – Astra GSe, Astra Sports Tourer GSe and Grandland GSe – will make their debut at dealers in 2023. And Opel will also carry its enthusiasm for electric, locally emission-free rallying into the next season. Because in 2023, the ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup, the first electric rally one-make cup worldwide, will enter its third round with the Opel Corsa-e Rallye.

“Our ongoing transition to becoming a fully electric brand will continue in 2023. Our customers will feel this when they sit in one of our particularly dynamic GSe models for the first time or enjoy their first test drive in the new Astra Electric. In addition, we are continuing our involvement in battery-electric rallying, ensuring excitement on the road and the racing circuit. With this and other surprises, Opel will continue to electrify people in the coming year,” said Opel CEO Florian Huettl.

2023: The compact class bestseller Opel Astra becomes fully electric

Soon after its official launch, the latest Opel Astra generation was awarded the “Golden Steering Wheel 2022”¹. Now Opel is opening the next ground-breaking chapter: the new Opel Astra Electric will be available to order as early as this spring, before arriving at dealerships later in the year. With this, the brand with the ‘Blitz’ presents the first fully electric serial production Astra in the long and successfully history of the compact class bestseller. But that is not all. The battery-electric five-door model will be followed by the new Opel Astra Sports Tourer Electric – the first fully electric station wagon from a German manufacturer. The new Astra Electric conveys pure locally emission-free driving pleasure in every variant. The electric motor delivers 115 kW/156 hp and a powerful 270 Newton metres of maximum torque; a top speed of up to 170 km/h is possible. The energy is stored in a 54 kWh lithium-ion battery, allowing the new Astra Electric to travel up to 416 kilometres with zero emissions according to WLTP².

More power and more range will soon be available for the Opel Mokka Electric. The all-electric “winner of the Golden Steering Wheel 2021"³ will in future also be available with a larger battery on request. With the new 54 kWh battery, Mokka Electric drivers will then be able to cover up to 406 kilometres locally emission-free according to WLTP² instead of up to 338 kilometres –20 percent more than currently.

Coming soon: The GSe sub-brand takes centre stage

Opel’s new dynamic sub-brand GSe shows what the sporty future looks like. The famous three letters now stand for "Grand Sport Electric". The electrified top-of-the-line models Opel Astra GSe, Opel Astra Sports Tourer GSe and Opel Grandland GSe will soon be available for order.

With a system output of 165 kW/225 hp and maximum torque of a powerful 360 Newton metres, the new Astra GSe and Astra Sports Tourer GSe have all the tools to shake up their class (fuel consumption according to WLTP⁴: 1.2-1.1 l/100 km, CO₂ emissions 26-25 g/km; combined, provisional values in each case). Fast starts and sporty top speeds are thus guaranteed. In addition, the newcomers set the new chassis benchmark in terms of engagement and feedback to the driver. In the Astra line-up, the GSe models are designed to be even more agile and precise. Steering, suspension and brakes react immediately and directly to any command from the driver. KONI FSD technology enables different damping characteristics depending on the situation for precise handling and high comfort in equal measure.

This also applies to the new Grandland GSe. The high-performance SUV even goes one better in terms of performance: the Grandland GSe bundles the power from a 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine and two electric motors – one on each axle. This results in a system output of up to 221 kW/300 hp (fuel consumption according to WLTP⁴: 1.3 l/100 km, CO₂ emissions 31-29 g/km; combined, weighted, provisional values in each case). The plug-in hybrid drive makes the Grandland GSe a sporty SUV with permanent electric all-wheel drive and excellent traction and ensures best-in-class acceleration from a standstill. The GSe sprints from zero to 100 km/h in just 6.1 seconds and reaches a top speed of 235 km/h (135 km/h purely electric).

Pioneer in electric rallying: ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup enters third season

Elsewhere, Opel will also inspire in motorsport again from spring onwards. In May 2023, the third season of the ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup will get underway. Preparations for the upcoming campaign are already in full swing with Opel hoping to repeat the successful 2022 season. The schedule of the first and to date only electric rally one-make cup worldwide will be upgraded again for the coming season. Instead of seven, as in the first two years, the Opel Corsa-e Rally will complete eight top-class rally events in four countries in 2023.

Opel CEO Florian Huettl said; “We are seamlessly continuing our electrification offensive in the coming year with models that prove that electric mobility today can be both inspiring and perfectly suitable for everyday use. This applies not only to our highlights such as the Astra Electric, Mokka Electric or the GSe models, but to all our vehicles. Stay tuned for news about our small bestsellers and our electrified light commercial vehicle range. Until then, we wish you a merry and relaxing Christmas and a good start to 2023!"

^[1] AUTIO BILD edition 45/2022 and BILD am SONNTAG edition 46/2022, category for “Best car under €50,000”.

^[2]Preliminary range determined according to WLTP test procedure methodology (R (EC) No. 715/2007, R (EU) No. 2017/1151). The actual range can vary under everyday conditions and depends on various factors, in particular on personal driving style, route characteristics, outside temperature, use of heating and air conditioning and thermal preconditioning. Model not available yet.

^[3] AUTO BILD edition 45/2021 and BILD am SONNTAG edition 46/2021, category for “Best car under €25,000” incl. environmental bonus.

^[4] Preliminary values determined using the more realistic WLTP (Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedure) test method which replaces the NEDC (New European Driving Cycle) test procedure. Vehicle not yet available. A vehicle’s consumption, CO₂ emissions and range not only depend on the efficient use of energy by the vehicle but are also influenced by driving style and other non-technical factors. The information on consumption and emissions does not refer to an individual vehicle and is intended solely for purposes of comparison between the various vehicle types.