Οpel Corsa-e
Review
Overview
Here is a Opel Corsa that’s almost pioneering. And that’s something we’ve never been able to say before. This is the Corsa-e, and it’s a fully electric hatchback that looks just like its petrol-powered base car. It’s not alone in its offer, nor is it the first of its kind. We did say almost pioneering. Indeed, it’s only come about because Opel is now owned by PSA and this is – effectively – a Peugeot e-208 in a plainer suit. But this is an electric Corsa long before there’s an electric Fiesta or Polo. For people who like buying badges they know from dealers around the corner, that could be enough to garner rather a lot of sales. Corsa-e is pricier than a base e-208, but it does come with more equipment. The Corsa-e faces a tough bunch of rivals, launching at exactly the same time as the e-208 as well as the reijgged Renault Zoe and the adorable Honda e and Mini Electric. You won’t be buying this one to make a visual statement – especially among that lot – but perhaps that’s its appeal; electric power without making a song and dance about it. It uses the same combination of 100kW power and 50kWh battery as the e-208, adding 345kg to a regular Corsa’s kerb weight but keeping it all in the floor. Better for handling, and it means room for people and luggage is mostly unimpeded too. The fully charged range is quoted at 336 miles. How close you get to achieving that will depend on how you’ve toggled between Eco (81bhp), Normal (107bhp) and Sport modes (the full 134bhp) with the former maximising your range potential but stifling performance and air con clout. Hook your Corsa-e up to a rapid charger and you can accrue 80 per cent of charge in 30 minutes, meanwhile, though a full charge on a three-pin socket at home will take around 24 hours. Because Opel’s intake of breath upon discovering that was likely as large as yours, (for now) it’s going to throw in a wall-mounted fast charger and installation at your home, which cuts a full charge to 7.5 hours. You can manage it via an app, too, allowing you to plug your car in but instruct it to only draw charge from the grid when your ‘leccy rates are cheapest.
Driving
Electric cars are quick in a straight line, right? The Corsa-e is no different, and Opel claims 0-50 km/h in 2.8secs in Sport mode. Sure, that’s not a boast you’ll be taking down the kombucha bar, but it’s certainly one you’ll appreciate as you zip away from the lights on your way down there. So long as you’ve sidestepped its violent wheelspin in the wet. Numbers you might find easier to benchmark are its 8.1sec 0-100 km/h time and 150 km/h top speed. We reckon you’ll stick in Normal, though. That’s what the Corsa defaults to on start up, and you can have its full 134bhp/192lb ft in all three modes if you shoe the accelerator with enough gusto – handy for slip roads and impromptu overtakes – and with just a split second’s delay that avoids spinning those aero-friendly wheels up. In all three modes it’s got enough zip to keep up with traffic in town, though Eco makes the throttle all mushy, so you’ll likely reserve that for journeys where you need to wring out every last mile of range. To compensate for its heftier weight (1,455kg is a lot for a Corsa, but light for an EV) Opel has stiffened up the suspension, but while this isn’t the softest riding car on sale, it’s far from the firmest. It’s no more aggressive than any other small hatchback on overly large alloys, and it handles the cobbled street, bumps and ruts of a town or city with aplomb. It’s also a neat, keen little thing when you get out of town, but don’t go thinking it’s some hot hatch in disguise. That’s the Mini Electric’s job. What the Corsa-e really aces is feeling normal to drive. You use the same gear selector as an automatic Corsa with a petrol engine, only now it has an additional notch into ‘B’ for if you want to recuperate more energy when slowing down. And you should: this isn’t an aggressive setup, so you can’t drive the car with one pedal like in a Nissan Leaf, but that’s to its credit. Lift off the throttle and it won’t slow the car with enough vigour to trigger the brake lights, but it will slow you down enough for nigh on all traffic situations bar a full standstill. It’s really intuitive and makes this a very smooth and satisfying car to mooch about town in.
Verdict
If you’ve been curious about going electric but are a little risk-averse, the Corsa-e might just be for you. It’s significantly less peacocky than its Honda or Mini rivals, but there’s another 50 per cent of range and tons more room for people to compensate. It’s like choosing the bloke who’s most logistically astute as your best man: you’ll get to your wedding in good time and with little stress, but the room won’t be in raptures when the speech comes. This is a purchase from the head, not the heart. Opel has played it much safer than Peugeot in designing a small electric hatchback, and while the Corsa-e will turn off plenty of people as a result, it’ll no doubt win over at least as many more.
Technical Characteristics Οpel Corsa-e
- Ισχύς: 136 ίπποι
- Ροπή: 260 Nm
- Χωρητικότητα μπαταρίας: 50 kWh
- Μετάδοση: Στους εμπρός τροχούς
- Κιβώτιο: Αυτόματο 1 σχέσεως
- Επιτάχυνση 0-100 km/h: 8,1 sec
- Τελική ταχύτητα: 150 km/h
- Μεικτή κατανάλωση (kWh/100 km): 17
- Αυτονομία με μια φόρτιση: Έως 330 (εργοστασιακή τιμή WLTP)
- Εκπομπές CO2: 0 gr/km
- Τέλη κυκλοφορίας: 0,0 €
- Βάρος: 1.530 kg
Διαστάσεις (Μ/Π/Υ): 4.060/1.765/1.435 mm
Μεταξόνιο: 2.538 mm
Χώρος αποσκευών: 267 lt
Prices
| Price | with subsidy | indicative leasing price |
|---|---|---|
| from 32.230 euro | from 27.032 euro | expected |
Gallery
