Vauxhall has revealed all-electric versions of the Astra hatchback and Sports Tourer estate
- Maximum range of 258 miles
- Front-mounted 152bhp electric motor
- Due on sale in Spring 2023
Vauxhall has pledged to become an all-electric brand by 2028 and while the British marque already offers two strong EVs in the form of the Corsa Electric and Mokka Electric, the all-new Vauxhall Astra Electric is set to perhaps become the most important plug-in addition to the range.
Like the standard petrol-powered model, the Astra Electric will be offered in both hatchback and Sports Tourer estate body styles. The electric family hatchback segment is a rapidly developing one, with the Astra Estate set to rival the likes of the MG4, Volkswagen ID.3 and the Peugeot e-308, with which it shares many of its parts.
From the outside, there’s very little to distinguish the Astra Electric from its petrol counterpart. Just like the regular car, the plug-in Astra gets Vauxhall’s signature ‘Vizor’ front-end design which houses many of the car’s driver assistance systems and flows into a set of slim LED headlights.
One significant change is that the Vauxhall Astra Electric also comes as standard with a set of 18-inch alloy wheels; these can be optionally specified in gloss black and are outfitted with aerodynamic trim pieces in order to improve range.
Much like the outside, there’s very little to report in terms of interior changes for the new electric version of the Astra. Vauxhall’s Pure Panel infotainment setup sits proudly on top of the dashboard and, like the standard car’s arrangement, features two 10-inch screens and “Hey, Vauxhall” voice controls.
Thanks to clever packaging, the Astra Electric’s boot is no smaller than the petrol-assisted Astra plug-in hybrid. This means that while the hatchback has 351 litres of space behind the rear seats, it’s still slightly down on what’s offered by made-for-purpose EVs, such as the Cupra Born. If you need even more space, the electric version of the Astra Sports Tourer boasts a spacious 516-litre load bay.
In the same way the petrol Vauxhall Astra shares its underpinnings with the Peugeot 308, the Astra Electric is mechanically similar to the electrified e-308. All four cars sit on parent brand Stellantis’ new EMP-2 underpinnings, with the two electric models powered by a 54kWh battery pack. The Astra, however, gets a slightly less powerful electric motor that produces 152bhp – the e-308 outputs 4bhp more.
Though exact figures have yet to be released, expect Vauxhall’s electric family hatchback to get from 0-62mph in between eight and nine seconds; top speed has been confirmed as 105mph, however. With a gentle right foot, Vauxhall claims the Astra Electric will do 258 miles on a single charge, which is slightly better than the equivalent e-308. Standard 100kW fast charging means a 10-80% top-up will take around half an hour.
Pricing for the new Vauxhall Astra Electric will be revealed shortly before the new car goes on sale in Spring 2023. A starting price of around £34,000 would put the Vauxhall in-line with its Peugeot sibling, although it would still be around £8,000 more than an entry-level MG4.
Keyword: New Vauxhall Astra Electric to rival the MG4 hatchback