The new Vauxhall Astra Electric arrives in 2023 to join existing petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid versions of the stylish new Astra.
Available in both hatchback and new Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer Electric estate guises, the new Astra BEV means the British family car offers one of the broadest model ranges on the market.
The new Vauxhall Astra Electric will square up to the Volkswagen ID.3, Cupra Born and Renault Megane E-Tech Electric. A related Peugeot e-308 arrives in 2023, while the MG4 EV is a particularly value-priced alternative that is likely to provide a stern challenge. The GWM ORA Funky Cat is a leftfield alternative, too.
The new Vauxhall Astra Electric is predicted to cost from around £37,000. Ordering for the hatchback will open in the spring, with first deliveries from June 2023. Orders for the new Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer Electric estate can begin later in 2023, with deliveries due before the end of the year.
Visually, the new Vauxhall Astra Electric is closely related to all other variants in the well-received Astra range. It is modern and distinctive, with clean and sophisticated lines, plus some nice retro elements – notably the flared wheelarches and neat C-pillar design.
The new Vauxhall Astra Electric has the same ‘Vauxhall vizor’ gloss black front grille as other models, while the central bonnet crease flows through into a vertically-set high-level rear LED brake light. Front and rear lights are flush and high-tech, while bright metallic colours can be set off with a contrasting black roof. Bold 18-inch diamond-cut alloys are standard; black-finished wheels are optional.
The new Vauxhall Astra Electric is almost indistinguishable from petrol and diesel versions. This is intentional, says Vauxhall. The only obvious difference is an ‘e’ logo on the bootlid, not forgetting the green stripes on its electric car number plates.
Inside, the new Vauxhall Astra Electric has a dual-screen ‘Pure Panel’ dashboard design. The 10.0-inch driver display is complemented by a 10.0-inch central touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The ‘Hey Vauxhall’ natural language voice assistant is also standard – as are physical buttons for the climate control air-con.
The new Vauxhall Astra Electric is as spacious as other models inside, due to the batteries being mounted below the floor. The boot is as roomy as plug-in hybrid versions, too. The new Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer Estate has a 516-litre boot, which expands to 1,553 litres with the rear seats folded flat.
The new Astra Electric uses a 156PS electric motor. Vauxhall hasn’t revealed performance figures yet, but says it’s capable of a 105mph top speed. A 54kWh battery gives an electric driving range of up to 258 miles between charges.
Via a 100kW DC charger, the new Vauxhall Astra Electric will charge to 80 percent capacity in just 30 minutes, while a standard 11kW AC charger means faster charging via a home wallbox. Vauxhall is claiming impressive efficiency for the new Vauxhall Astra Electric; it consumes just 12.7kWh of electricity to cover 62 miles.
