- Tradition meets innovation: Opel celebrates 125 years of automotive production in 2024
- Opel is electric: All Opel models already available with battery-electric drive
- Flagship SUV: New Opel Grandland celebrates World Premiere and wins ‘Golden Steering Wheel 2024’1
- Attainable, electrified, family-friendly: New Opel Frontera makes debut
- Electric LCV trio: New Combo Electric, Vivaro Electric and Movano Electric, Movano HYDROGEN added to line-up
- Unique: ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup 2025 heading into fifth season after successful 2024 campaign
- Electrifying outlook: ‘Long Range’ versions of new Grandland Electric and Frontera Electric, new Mokka Electric to arrive at dealerships
Combined values for Opel Zafira Electric with 100 kW (136 hp) according to WLTP2: energy consumption 24.9 kWh/100 km, CO2 emissions 0 g/km; CO2 label: A.
Combined values for Opel Combo Electric with 100 kW (136 hp) according to WLTP2: energy consumption 18.8 kWh/100 km, CO2 emissions 0 g/km; CO2 label: A.
‘125 years of Opel automotive production: Forever forward since 1899’: This was Opel’s motto for 2024. In addition to the significant anniversary that Opel celebrated in June with numerous guests of honour, employees and friends of the brand, the manufacturer had much more to offer. The all-new Opel Grandland and Opel Frontera SUVs both celebrated their world premieres. The new top-of-the-line Grandland SUV immediately won the ‘Golden Steering Wheel 2024’1. In addition, the Opel Corsa continues to be a perennial bestseller. Elsewhere, the world's first fully electric one-make cup, the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup, successfully completed its fourth season and continues to excite.
And the trio of light commercial vehicles Combo, Vivaro and Movano are also well-positioned for the future. The new editions of all three models have also been available to customers as battery-electric versions since this year. The largest member of the trio made its first appearance at the IAA Transportation in Hanover as the innovative hydrogen fuel cell transporter Movano HYDROGEN. It will be officially launched next year – just like the next generation of the Vivaro HYDROGEN.
“In our anniversary year we can proudly say: Opel is electric. We are the first German manufacturer to offer every model with battery-electric drive,” said Opel CEO Florian Huettl. “We are making the rich tradition of our brand future-proof with electrified automobiles that impress with their design, top technologies and resource-saving drives. The new Opel Grandland is the best example of this. And in 2025 we will continue at an unabated pace. Customers will soon be able to look forward to powerful electric all-wheel drive models, the new Opel Mokka as well as the Grandland and Frontera Electric with even more range.”
125 years of automotive production at Opel: Rüsselsheim enters the car age in 1899
On January 21, 1899, Wilhelm Opel, son of the company founder Adam Opel, signed a contract with the Dessau court locksmith Friedrich Lutzmann to purchase his motor vehicle factory – thus sounding in the official start of automotive production at Opel. The beginning of a success story: Since then, more than 75 million Opel vehicles have left the plants across Europe.
The event ‘125 Years of Opel Automotive Production’ had a major influence on the company's year. Opel celebrated this special anniversary with numerous campaigns, automotive innovations – and a big open day in June at the headquarters in Rüsselsheim. The public could enjoy a deep-dive into Opel’s history and also celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Opel Design Center. Numerous guests of honour from politics, business and Stellantis attended the event and witnessed how Opel is positioning itself for a sustainable future with both its latest models and the grEEn-campus project. After all, the anniversary motto was: ‘Forever forward since 1899’. Two models in particular symbolised what this means in 2024: the new Opel Grandland and the new Opel Frontera.
New Opel Grandland: World premiere and “Golden Steering Wheel”1 for flagship SUV
Eisenach already sounded in the festivities in April with the new Opel Grandland – a flagship SUV through and through "made in Germany" – celebrating its world premiere. The newcomer also demonstrates what Opel means by “German Energy”. It brings many visionary innovations from the groundbreaking Opel Experimental concept to serial production life. The top-of-the-line SUV is the first Opel on the BEV-native STLA Medium platform and offers numerous landmark technologies such as the new Intelli-Lux HD light with over 50,000 LED elements, clever features and sustainable solutions. The Grandland shines with the new 3D Vizor and, for the first time, the illuminated Opel Blitz at the front. At the rear view it also has the continuously illuminated Opel wordmark.
Stylish, dynamic, spacious and, above all, electrified in every version – the combination impresses and helps Opel win its next ‘Golden Steering Wheel’1. The newcomer delighted the experts at AUTO BILD and BILD am SONNTAG and was named ‘Best Car under 50,000 euros’ just a few days after order books opened. The international launch campaign ‘#GOGRAND’ shows in an extraordinary way what customers can expect from ‘their’ new Grandland.
New Opel Frontera: The family-friendly, electrified SUV for everyone
The new Opel Frontera is also exceptional. The SUV, which is also always electrified, celebrated its world premiere in Istanbul in May. With its rugged interpretation of the Opel design philosophy, the new Frontera stands out from the crowd. Underneath the body, the 4.38-meter-long SUV with – if desired – space for up to seven people offers outstanding packaging at an exemplary price-performance ratio. Prices for the Frontera Hybrid start at just €23,900 (RRP including VAT in Germany). Travel comfort and flexibility are top priorities for the new Frontera: At the front, the driver and front passenger can sit on the new patented Intelli-Seat with a stress-relieving slot in the middle. 460 litres of luggage can be stored in the rear; with the seats folded down this increases to around 1,600 litres. The Frontera also offers many intelligent features, including the Smartphone Station. Flexible, clear and modern in design and with many practical solutions, the new Opel Frontera is an affordable and family-friendly SUV.
The new Opel Mokka made its first major appearance at the Auto Zurich 2024 motor show in October. The unconventional bestseller is even fresher – with technologies from higher vehicle segments – and even sharper than before. With the new Mokka, the new and youngest SUV trio on the market is complete.
One thing all three newcomers have in common: the new Mokka, Grandland and Frontera take Opel's ‘Greenovation’ approach into account. They do without chrome applications on the outside and use fabrics and materials with recycled content in the interior, so that the new Opel SUV trio also conserves resources in this respect.
‘Greenovation’: New electrified Opel models and hybrid drive solutions
In addition to the new SUV line-up, Opel has also revitalised its MPVs. The new Opel Zafira Electric and Opel Combo Electric have been available for customers to order since the summer, opening up new possibilities for locally emissions-free everyday life or vacation trips.
For those who are not currently prepared to switch to an all-electric option but still want electrified mobility, Opel has been offering a wide selection of hybrid models with 48-volt technology since this year. As a clever and cost-efficient drive solution, it offers many advantages in everyday operation. With the hybrid, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions can be significantly reduced compared to a comparable combustion vehicle and at the same time driving comfort can be increased. At low speeds, the small electric motor also enables fully electric travel for up to one kilometre at a time or up to 50 percent of the time in the city. The 48-volt battery does not need to be recharged at a charging point – the hybrid system itself takes care of that.
Perennial bestseller and rally car: The Opel Corsa
The bestselling Opel Corsa is a real hit in rallying as well as with the public. As the Opel Corsa Rally Electric, it once again offered exciting, locally emissions-free competitions in 2024 in the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe”, the world's first electric rally one-make cup. The innovative concept is so popular across Europe that Opel and the ADAC have confirmed that the all-electric Cup will enter its fifth season in 2025.
At the same time, the series production model continues to go from success to success. The Opel Corsa has been at the top of its segment in Germany across all drive variants for the past three calendar years – and there is a good chance that it can repeat this success this year too. The Corsa is and remains a perennial bestseller among customers and experts alike.
Innovative addition to LCV line-up: The new Opel Movano HYDROGEN
2024 also brought major news for the Opel light commercial vehicle line-up. The new generation of the LCV trio consisting of the Opel Combo, Opel Vivaro and Opel Movano has not only been available fully electric since this year – it has been expanded to include a future-oriented drive variant. After already successfully launching the Vivaro HYDROGEN, the largest member of the trio, the Movano, is now appearing for the first time as a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. With its combination of hydrogen fuel cell drive and plug-in battery, the new Opel Movano HYDROGEN can cover more than 500 kilometres (WLTP3) and can be refuelled with hydrogen in under 5 minutes – ideal for driving long distances with zero local emissions and losing no time when refuelling. The electric motor offers 110 kW (150 hp) of power and a maximum torque of 410 Nm. The 11 kWh lithium-ion battery provides support when starting or accelerating. In addition, thanks to the hybrid system, braking energy can be recovered and fed into the battery as electricity via the electric motor. A drive solution that impressed the audience at the premiere of the Movano HYDROGEN at the IAA Transportation in Hanover.
Opel is electric – further electrified highlights will follow in 2025
With the new vehicles presented and introduced in 2024, Opel is keeping its word: Opel is electric. Every model of the brand – cars as well as LCVs – can now also be ordered as battery-electric vehicle. There are also other practical and resource-saving drive solutions from plug-in hybrids to hybrids with 48-volt technology to hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
But one thing is also clear: Opel will consistently continue and expand its electrification offensive next year. Customers can already look forward to more newcomers. In the coming months, the new Grandland will enable a locally emissions-free range of up to around 700 kilometres (WLTP3) thanks to its 97 kWh battery. The top-of-the-line SUV is also being launched as a powerful plug-in hybrid and will offer electric all-wheel drive. The Frontera portfolio also includes a fully electric “Long Range” variant with a range of up to around 400 kilometres (WLTP3). In addition, the Frontera Hybrid with space for up to seven people will be launched. And after its recent world premiere, the new electrified Mokka will soon be rolling to customers.
Furthermore, commercial vehicle customers can look forward to innovative and efficient drive solutions that make everyday mobility life even more economical. The new Movano HYDROGEN will be rolled out in numerous markets. In addition, the next generation Vivaro HYDROGEN will be available. These are just a few highlights that Opel will present in the coming months – efficient, emotional and electrifying in every respect!
[1] AUTO BILD edition 46/2024 and BILD am SONNTAG edition 45/2024, category ‘Best car under €50,000’.
[2] A vehicle's values not only depend on the vehicle's efficient use of fuel, but are also influenced by driving behaviour and other non-technical factors.
[3] Provisional range values determined according to WLTP test procedure methodology (R (EC) No. 715/2007, R (EU) No. 2017/1151). The actual range can vary under everyday conditions and depends on various factors, in particular on personal driving style, route characteristics, outside temperature, use of heating and air conditioning and thermal preconditioning. Vehicle not yet available.
