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Opel Mokka mini EV revealed

June 29, 2020July 1, 2020 Bruce Newton 4869 Views battery electric vehucle, electric vehicle, ev, Mokka, Mokka-e, Opel, Trax

The new Opel Mokka mini SUV line-up has been revealed in Europe and it includes a battery electric version.

In an alternate automotive reality it could have come to Australia as a Holden Trax – if General Motors still owned Opel and hadn’t axed Holden.

Instead, the Mokka might lead the return of Opel to Australia later this decade.

Opel is nowadays owned by the PSA (Peugeot-Citroen) group and has spoken about its bold plans to become a global automotive player beyond Europe.

Of course, back in the GM days it was launched in the Australian market in 2012 and was dumped again 12 months later.

Anyway, back to the Mokka-e, the pure electric version of this Toyota C-HR and Mazda CX-3 competitor.

It gets a 50kWh battery and 100kW/260Nm electric motor that’s claimed to deliver a range up to 322km between recharges. That can be extended if you switch to Eco mode, or shortened if you opt for the sharper acceleration delivered by Sport mode. Top speed is capped at 150km/h.

The Opel Mokka-e can be 80 per cent recharged in as little as 30 minutes at a 100kW fast-charger.

All Mokkas – there are petrol and diesel ones as well – are based on the new PSA CMP (Common Modular Platform) architecture that also underpins the new Opel Corsa and Peugeot 208 minis.

Opel has slashed the length of the Mokka by 125mm compared to its predecessor, although the wheelbase and width stretch fractionally to help ensure the same interior space and very similar luggage capacity at 350 litres.

Impressively, Opel engineers have also put the Mokka on a diet and it has lost 120kg. Torsional stiffness is up 30 per cent with the help of the low-mounted battery pack.

Of course, draped over all this tech is a brand new look inside and out. The latter is highlighted by Opel’s new ‘Vizor’ design language and includes LED headlights and taillights.