Opel Touts All-Electric Corsa

PSA Group’s Opel unit says the all-electric version of its next-generation Corsa small car, the Corsa-e, as an “important entry” in Europe’s EV market.

The five-door hatch also will be offered with conventional gasoline and diesel powerplants when it goes on sale this summer. The Corsa has been Opel’s best-selling model, but sales are being eroded by Europe’s enthusiasm for SUV/crossover vehicles.

The sixth-generation Corsa is the same length but isn’t as tall as the current model. The Corsa-e will be propelled by an electric motor rated at 100 kW (136 hp) and 260N-m (192 lb-ft) of torque. The car’s 50-kWh battery can be fast-charged to 80% of capacity in 50 minutes.

The Corsa-e has a rated range of 330 km (205 miles) under Europe’s Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure. Drivers can choose among three driving modes that affect responsiveness and driving range. Opel says the car can zip from zero to 100 kph in 8.1 seconds.

The only difference in the outward appearance of the Corsa-e will be its badging and special aerodynamic wheels. All iterations offer adaptive LED matrix headlamps, blind-spot assist, front camera traffic sign recognition and a 7- or 10-inch touchscreen with Opel Connect telematics service.