Opel no longer wants to offer new cars with combustion engines from 2028 onwards. A milestone on the way there is the compact Astra, which is now in its sixth generation and is now available as an electric car for the first time. As a hatchback it costs 41,990 euros; the station wagon, which is 1,500 euros more expensive, will have to wait until the beginning of 2024. The Astra shares the technology with the new Peugeot E-308, based on the EMP2-V3 electric platform from the Stellantis Group. A 156 hp electric motor is responsible for the drive; the energy comes from the lithium-ion battery in the underbody, which only has a net capacity of 51 kWh.
With the new brand face called Vizor, the sharp bend on the hood and the chic cobalt blue metallic paint, the test car looks sleek. Externally, the Astra Electric does not differ from the sporty top model, the Astra GSe plug-in hybrid, apart from the small “e” at the rear. Opel developed the electric and combustion engine versions together and they roll off the same assembly line in Rüsselsheim. The Astra Electric is as easy to drive as any other Astra. The interior also feels familiar with the fully digital cockpit, which combines two 10-inch monitors under a cover glass that is tilted towards the driver.
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