Having long concentrated on bigger and more profitable EVs, car companies have finally moved into the smaller electric space with more affordable prices, but more modest ranges.
Dacia and Hyundai were among the first to achieve the sub €20,000 price target for their Spring and Inster models, with both cars intended for urban use.
Lower prices mean smaller batteries, and smaller batteries mean less range. It’s something prospective buyers should take into consideration when thinking of buying a budget EV.
Claimed ranges are just that - factors such as cold weather and motorway speeds have a major impact on these ranges. And home charging is a must. If you don’t have it, an EV with a limited range is going to be a very tough challenge indeed.
Opel has now entered this competitive environment with the launch of its new Frontera, a small SUV-styled car that comes with a choice of electric and hybrid power.
It follows Opel’s rather conservative and sensible rather than fluid styling policy, with full LED lights, and it has quite a tall and boxy profile. The car is built on the same platform as Citroen’s new C3, and it has a surprisingly roomy interior.
The boot is also pretty roomy for a car of this size, and it has a capacity of 460 litres, with underfloor storage for a charging cable.
The first entry-level EV version comes with a modest 44kWh battery and a claimed range of 305 kilometres, priced from €24,606, while a bigger 54 kWh battery option will be available next year with a claimed range of 400 kilometres - a figure many people would be more comfortable with.
The battery capacity certainly reflects the price in the case of the entry-level version.
The hybrid versions, with two different power outputs, have a 1.2 three-cylinder turbo petrol engine, and Opel is predicting a consumption figure of between 5.2 and 5.3 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres. The entry-level hybrid €27,995.
Standard equipment for the Frontera includes a 10" driver information display plus smartphone station (so no infotainment screen), electronic parking brake and hill assist, LED headlights with automatic high beam, rear park assist, 16" painted steel wheels, manual climate control, alarm, cruise control, lane keep assist, forward collision alert, driver drowsiness alert, and speed sign recognition.
The fact that you have to pay more for full smartphone integration is another indicator of pricing considerations.
For about €2,000 more for either the EV or hybrid version you’ll get Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, wireless charger, natural voice recognition, front USB type C connection, rear view camera, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, rain sensing front wipers, automatic climate control, more comfortable driver and front passenger seats designed to reduce fatigue, a middle console with front centre armrest and hidden storage and 17" alloy wheels.
This car is only 4.3 metres long, yet Opel is introducing a seven-seater version of the car in the next few weeks, for an extra €1,500. It will be very interesting to see how that challenge has been tackled.
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ.
