Competition in the compact electric vehicle market has been heating up as more consumers show an interest in purchasing one of these vehicles for use in their everyday commutes. Stellantis’s Peugeot E-308 is an attempt to cash in on this market. The 2023 Opel Astra electric hatchback and estate are the automaker’s first offerings in the burgeoning electric vehicle market.
The 2023 Opel Astra e-tron takes numerous cues from the E-308 under the hood, as was to be expected. So, it utilizes a reworked version of the chassis used for internal combustion engine vehicles. It is powered by a single electric motor that generates 156 horsepower and 270 Newton-meters of torque, which is 10 Newton-meters more than the E-308. The Astra EV, like the Peugeot, will only have front-wheel drive.
The battery is the same 54 kWh unit that can be charged to 80% in 30 minutes when connected to a 100 kW DC charging station. Despite being mechanically similar, the 2023 Opel Astra EV has a longer range per charge. In the WLTP cycle, the Opel has a maximum range of 416 km, which is 16 km greater than its close relative.
While many other EVs in its class top out at 150 kph, the 2023 Opel Astra electric can reach a robust 170 kph. The battery pack has reduced the wagon’s practicality, but it still boasts a respectable 1,553 liters of storage space with the rear seats folded down.
Stellantis’ Europe EV lineup expands in 2023 with the addition of the Opel Astra electric. When will it arrive on American soil? What will happen, only time can tell.
