Opel teases Manta-e electric car, plans to go all-electric by 2028

KUALA LUMPUR: As more and more automakers are coming up with plans for full electrification, one thing is certain that the future of the automotive industry is electric. The recent carmaker that embraces electric mobility is the tradition-rich German brand Opel. The company has announced that it will only offer electric cars in its core market Europe by 2028. It also has plans to enter the world's largest auto market China soon as a purely electric brand. 

“We are on a journey to reinventing Opel and transforming ourselves into a young, green, and global brand,” said CEO Michael Lohscheller at the digital Stellantis EV Day 2021. “Opel is moving from cold to cool. We are heading towards a net-zero CO2 future as CO2 is the new currency in our industry.”

During the event, the Stellantis-owned company also teased the upcoming iteration of its legendary Opel Manta that will make a comeback as a purely electric car. Details on the Manta-e are scanty at the moment with just a faded teaser to speculate. However, the automaker confirmed it would hit the market by the middle of the decade.

“The Manta is a real icon in our brand’s history and an inspiration for its future. We will bring a new Manta into serial production by mid-decade. Purely electric, of course,” said Lohscheller.

For the electric transition of Opel and its other brands, Stellantis announced four BEV-centric platforms, which are:

• STLA Small, with a range up to 500 kilometres/300 miles
• STLA Medium, with a range up to 700 kilometres/440 miles
• STLA Large, with a range up to 800 kilometres/500 miles
• STLA Frame, with a range up to 800 kilometres/500 miles

These platforms are designed with a high level of flexibility and component sharing, to deliver economies of scale as each can support manufacturing of around two million units per year. Out of these, the upcoming Opel Manta EV is most likely to adopt STLA Small architecture.

Well, the brand is progressively stepping towards extensive electrification. It already has nine electrified models in the lineup, and the rest will be electrified or hybridised by 2024.

Also read: Meet Opel Manta GSe, the rear-wheel EV with manual gearbox