New Opel Astra Electric ST is down-to-earth and solid
With the Opel Astra Electric Sports Tourer, the Rüsselsheim-based company is making an important contribution to electromobility - especially in Germany. Why? Read for yourself.
Germany is not only SUV country, but also station wagon country. No wonder Opel predicts that 60 percent of the Astra volume will be sold as an estate. And the major popular model series in this country, such as the BMW five-series or Mercedes E-Class, also have huge estate car shares (E-Class, for example, 50 percent). And only every tenth Volvo customer of the 90 series in Germany opts for a saloon.
However, electrically powered estates are still few and far between. The rather meagre MG 5 from China has been on the market for quite a long time, and the rather expensive Nio ET5 Touring has been available for a short time - but neither of these are practical companions. Peugeot has also already announced an electrically powered estate version of the 308. So there is movement on this front.
However, the first electrically powered estate here is the Opel Astra Sports Tourer Electric, and it is competing in a reasonably affordable segment. It starts at 43,490 euros. And this year there is still a 7177 euro subsidy for private individuals, which results in a real list price of 36,312 euros.
But let's not kid ourselves - you would have to rotate your dealer at the beginning of next week in order to have the vehicle registered in your yard between Christmas and New Year. One trick would be to conclude a leasing contract, in which case the subsidy would be secured regardless of vehicle delivery. Otherwise you would have to make do with a grant of 4,785 euros next year.
The electric estate car from Hesse has a down-to-earth engine
But how does the electrically powered compact class drive? Sufficiently confident, at least with 156 hp. But not particularly sporty, which is also clear. However, when the in-house developed electric motor with its 270 Newton meters of torque pushes against the 1.8-tonner, the passenger feels a slight pressure in the back. Three different driving modes (Eco, Normal and Sport) influence the characteristic curve of the accelerator pedal, but full power can always be called up via kickdown - even in Ecomode. Whether the Rüsselsheim car will manage with the specified 15 kWh of electricity per 100 kilometers in practice remains to be seen in an extensive test - the specified WLTP value is certainly quite ambitious.
Once the 54 kWh battery is fully charged, a range of 413 kilometers should be possible. After all, the on-board computer shows 402 kilometers at 94 percent charge at temperatures just above freezing. Even if the figures may be progressively interpreted (the range could shrink faster than the kilometers to the destination), this is already quite solid. And the 100 kilowatts of maximum peak charging power are forgiven. Opel estimates that it takes around half an hour to charge to 80 percent. It's important to remember that the Astra has been on the market for a while.
No electric estate car can currently carry more luggage
Quite decent chairs also make it look quite good on long journeys (greetings to the sales representatives out there). However, the comfortable, so-called ergonomic seats are part of the GS equipment, which comes at an extra cost of 3070 euros. Selecting the option individually? Not a chance.
The generous amount of space, on the other hand, comes at no extra cost at all. And not just for passengers, but also for luggage. The trunk has a capacity of 1553 liters - no electric estate car can currently offer more.
The reasonable suspension comfort is also very conducive to long-distance quality. In addition, the engineers claim to have achieved 31 percent more body rigidity by placing the battery in the floor of the car, which apparently has a strengthening effect on the structure. And of course this also has an effect on the center of gravity, which is why the estate sits quite firmly on the road. Incidentally, you don't really notice its weight either.
Is there really nothing to criticize about the Astra apart from the loading specifications, which are rather poor by today's standards? Well, if you're looking, then certainly. Activating the on-board computer with consumption values is a bit of a puzzle if you don't know how to do it. The button provided for this purpose on the left-hand steering column lever is simply not labeled. But anyone who spends a long time with the car will get the hang of it. This also applies to the extensive menus on the right-hand side of the monitor.
It's also nice that the air conditioning system can still be controlled using haptic buttons - it's simply easier to operate while driving without looking. Real infotainment fans will still be sad because the graphics are quite static. So there are not many setting options when it comes to the interface.
On the other hand, the head-up display (GS) comes up with helpful graphics that show how much distance you should leave to the car in front depending on the weather. And the navigation system is able to carry out load planning, which it integrates into the route guidance.
If you opt for the GS label, the down-to-earth Astra even offers a touch of premium feel. The display is stylishly curved. And some of the double decorative stitching on the door panels is pleasing to the eye. The seats and the leather-covered flap for the storage compartment in the center console also feature this. However, even the basic version of the Stromer in its most useful form leaves little to be desired. So a test drive can't hurt.
Source: www.ntv.de
