By 2028, Opel will be purely electric – these six electric cars are coming

Five years isn’t much, at least not in the auto industry. Opel intends to use this period to complete the electrification of its model range. “From 2028, we will only offer electric vehicles in Europe,” said Opel CEO Florian Huettl recently during the driving presentation of the Astra Electric in Berlin.

Initially, only two plug-in hybrid versions were planned for the compact model in terms of electrification, as the EMP2 platform developed by PSA was not designed for pure battery propulsion. However, the Rüsselsheim engineers have now found a good solution and were able to install batteries with a capacity of 54 kWh in the floor. The Astra Electric will use a new in-house developed electric motor with an output of 115 kW/156 hp. (You can read here how the electric Opel Astra drives.)

The Astra Electric can be ordered from CHF 46,500 (list price). From autumn 2023, Opel also wants to offer a longer station wagon variant with a significantly larger trunk.

Opel is equipping its revised bestseller, the small, with the same electric drive this summer Corsa Electric, out. The older model, which has been available since 2020, is available from CHF 37,760. The optically and technically revised version should allow a longer range of up to 357 kilometers with the small battery and up to 402 kilometers with the larger battery.

In addition, the entry-level model in the Rüsselsheim-based company’s portfolio will be equipped with a 48-volt mild hybrid for the first time. Both should also be below the next in 2024 cross-country skiing put down. The small crossover, which, like the Corsa, is based on the CMP architecture, also runs fully electrically for the first time.

In the same year comes the successor to the Grandland – and this is accompanied by a change to new electric platforms (see info box).

At the Greatland Electric, which is on the Medium platform, the range should be up to 700 kilometers. The engine range extends from 125 kW/170 hp to 180 kW/245 hp.

There are many indications that the second model on the Medium platform will be the electric one in 2025 manta could become. A study will be presented at the IAA Mobility auto show in Munich in September.

Top model with a range of up to 800 kilometers

Only that is missing successor of insigniato complete the electric portfolio: the crossover and future flagship of the brand should be on the STLA-Large platform. For this purpose, Opel parent company Stellantis not only supplied engines with outputs between 150 kW/204 hp and 330 kW/448 hp, but also an 800-volt architecture, short DC fast charging times and a range of up to 800 kilometers.

Opel does not even give the slightest hint about the name of the “next Insignia”. It is quite possible that, just like with the Manta, history is also used here.

New battery cells for cheaper e-cars

Developments in the field of new battery cells run parallel to the new STLA platforms. Opel would like to move away from critical raw materials such as nickel and cobalt. In the future, anodes should be coated with iron-manganese compounds. While this reduces capacity relative to size, it also cuts costs by 20 percent. A powerful argument for making electric cars more affordable.

Customers looking for a small City Stromer should take advantage of this. Volkswagen has already announced such a vehicle from 2025 with its VW, Skoda and Cupra brands. It is quite possible that Opel is planning something similar soon. Because from the middle of the decade, the dedicated small STLA platform will be ready for use in the Stellantis Group.

(t online)