Vauxhall has begun testing a rally variant of the new Corsa-e electric hatchback, making it the first manufacturer to offer customers an electric rally car. Called the Corsa-e Rally, the model will be available to buy from sister-brand Opel’s motorsport division, with the German manufacturer claiming a sub-£46,000 price tag. The cost represents a near-£20,000 increase over the £26,490 starting price of the standard Corsa-e, with the rally model retaining the 50kWh battery and 134bhp, 192lb ft electric motor of the production variant. “We have two objectives”, said Opel Motorsport Director, Jörg Schrott. “Both cars are covering as many miles as possible, in order to gather the maximum amount of data at an early stage. There is no experience of an electric rally car that we could turn to, so initially we had to rely on calculations and simulations. “These are being gradually replaced with real data. Other focuses are on loads and temperature management of the battery, as well as adapting the software. I am pleased to report that our programme is going smoothly.” Rally-spec suspension has been fitted and the body made slightly wider and higher, with a 2mm-longer wheelbase. Few technical details have been revealed, but it’s also expected to be significantly lighter than the standard car. In terms of design, the Corsa-e Rally bears a strong resemblance to its production counterpart, differentiated only by FIA-mandated towing straps, lightweight performance alloy wheels and a prominent decal package. The Corsa-e Rally will compete in the 2020 ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup, a one-make electric race series that will host 15 young rally
Origin: Vauxhall begins testing Corsa-e electric cutomer rally car
Corsa-e:
Opel Corsa-e becomes first electric customer rally car
Vauxhall’s sister brand, Opel, has released a rally variant of the new Corsa-e electric hatchback, making it the first mainstream manufacturer to offer customers an electric rally car. Called the Corsa-e Rally, the model will be available to buy from Opel Motorsport, with the German manufacturer claiming a sub-£46,000 price tag. The cost represents a near-£20,000 increase over the £26,490 starting price of the standard Corsa-e. The rally model retains the 50kWh battery and 134bhp, 192lb ft electric motor of the production variant. Rally-spec suspension has been fitted and the body made slightly wider and higher, with a 2mm-longer wheelbase. Few technical details have been revealed, but it’s also expected to be significantly lighter. In terms of design, the Corsa-e Rally bears a strong resemblance to its production counterpart, differentiated only by FIA-mandated towing straps, lightweight performance alloy wheels and a prominent decal package. The Corsa-e Rally will compete in the 2020 ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup, a one-make electric race series that will host 15 young rally drivers. The model will make its international debut at next month’s Frankfurt motor
Origin: Opel Corsa-e becomes first electric customer rally car
New Vauxhall Corsa-e: official pics of electric hatch
Vauxhall has revealed the new full electric Corsa-e supermini, which will kickstart the brand’s electrification programme when it goes on sale next March with 134bhp and a 211-mile range. The unveiling of official pictures and details of the EV version of the Corsa – which will also be offered with petrol and diesel powertrains – has been brought forward after images of the Opel-branded version leaked online yesterday. The new Corsa is the first Vauxhall model that has been developed since the firm was bought by the PSA Group, which also owns Peugeot, Citroën and DS. It shares the PSA Group’s new CMP platform and powertrains with the recently launched Peugeot 208. The Corsa-e will match the e-208 in having a 50kWh battery to power the electric motor. The powertrain has 134bhp and produces 191lb ft, enough for a 0-31mph time of around 3.1secs. The Corsa-e will feature three drive modes – Normal, Sport and Eco – with Vauxhall claiming the 211-mile official range can be extended by up to 40% in Eco drive mode. The hatch also features a regenerative braking system. While based on the same architecture, the car’s bodywork is entirely a Vauxhall/Opel design, with no crossover from the 208. Despite the new platform, the Corsa’s dimensions are closely matched to the outgoing model, while the styling is also similar. The Corsa-e will have styling close to the combustion-engined version, with a bespoke wheel design and slightly different grille. It features a charging port located where the fuel filler normally is on a combustion-engined car. It will only be offered in five-door form, reflecting current industry trends. Inside, the Corsa-e will be offered with a 10in touchscreen, with an infotainment system compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It will also offer a range of driver assistance features, including traffic sign recognition, adaptive cruise control and park assist. The combustion-engined version of the Corsa, which Autocar drove a development version of recently, will be launched at a later date. Vauxhall will reveal pricing information for the Corsa-e closer to when it goes on sale next year. As part of the PSA Group’s wider plans, Vauxhall will offer a full electric or electrified version of every model in its line-up by 2024. It recently unveiled the Grandland PHEV, and has confirmed the successor to the Mokka X SUV and the new Vivaro van, both due in 2020, will feature battery electric
Origin: New Vauxhall Corsa-e: official pics of electric hatch
All about car 