The all-electric Opel Mokka: a sensational experience

The German automaker Opel in September presented the world premiere of its electric Opel Mokka GSE at the IAA Mobility Summit in Munich. Both sporty and powerful, the GSE sub-brand now stands for “Grand Sport Electric” (the abbreviation previously stood for “Grand Sport Einspritzung,” or “Grand Sport Injection”).

Opel is the first German manufacturer to have a fully electrified lineup, with all the models in its portfolio available in a battery electric version. The company continues to follow a “multi-energy approach” that meets customers’ evolving needs and market trends, according to Opel’s vice president of marketing Rebecca Reinermann, but electrification is the future.

Rally DNA resurfaces on the road

With a top speed of 200 km/hr, the new Mokka is the brand’s fastest all-electric production model and goes from 0-100 km/hr in 5.9 seconds, bringing elements of rally and electric motorsport to the streets. The car offers 281 horsepower and 345 Nm of torque – identical to those of its motorsport counterpart, the Mokka GSE Rally. The 20-inch alloy wheels feature eyecatching yellow brake calipers in the front wheels, contributing to the overall sporty look.

Measuring 4150 mm x 1787 mm x 1506 mm with a wheelbase of 2561 mm, the silhouette is bold and sporty. Grey and yellow letters spelling out “GSE” are placed in cutouts on the front bumper and stretch across the bottom of the doors in black. Pull-type handles make it easy to open the doors. The headlights, which resemble hockey sticks whilst mirroring the Opel brand’s flattened lightning bolt logo, are composed of subtle horizontal lines with two short dashes just underneath; the brakelights on the rear bumper feature the same design. A black-coloured hood is also available as an option.

Cramped interior

Made of black fabric and decorated with yellow stitching and a vertical white stripe, the driver and front passenger seats are Alcantara GSE performance seats with integrated headrests. The seats are also inspired by the Mokka GSE Rally car. These performance seats may be perfect for a rally car, but in the serial model that we tested, the front seats end up being overly imposing and take up too much space in the passenger compartment.

A major issue during our test drive was the bulkiness of the headrests: because of their volume, it can be difficult to see through the rear passenger windows when checking your blindspot. The bolsters are also quite prominent, both on the seat itself and on the seatback, where they continue all the way up to the shoulders. They snugly cradle your thighs when seated, but can be confining if a driver (or front passenger) is very tall or stocky. And because the headrest is integrated, you can’t adjust it.

The backseat, which has space for three people, is rather cramped. This is partially due to the volume of the front seats. Even for a short adult, there really isn’t a lot of leg room. The seat backs are also severe, meaning there is no curve to support a passenger’s back. The trunk is not overly spacious either. It offers 310 L of storage capacity; the rear seats can be folded down to expand that to 1,060 L.

Made of vegan leather and with a heating option, the Mokka’s steering wheel is flattened at the top and bottom and responds well to changes in direction. The driver information display, located behind the wheel, clearly showcases details like speed, autonomy, and advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) notifications. The ADAS notifications are subtle but can be deactivated if so desired. Adaptive cruise control is also available.

The cockpit, which features a touchscreen oriented in the driver’s direction, is simple and intuitive. The touchscreen offers features like navigation, performance and battery management data, and even G-force measurements. To our delight, not everything is controlled via the touchscreen. There are physical buttons to control the temperature, heated seats, and volume, for instance. You can also connect your smartphone or charge it wirelessly.

Truly fun to drive

All of the drawbacks linked to the interior of the car are forgotten once you start to drive. The Mokka truly is a fun car to drive and offers plenty of sensations. The chassis is stiff and aggressive, which contributes to the car’s responsiveness, and it’s powerful and agile – you can really feel the acceleration. Improvements in the steering ratio mean increased sensitivity: less of a steering angle is required in the corners and responses are quicker.

The car offers three different modes: sport, normal, and eco. We tested all three and discovered that each offers a distinct driving experience. The sport mode allows you to take advantage of the Mokka’s full power (maximum power of 207 kW, torque of 345 Nm, top speed of 200 km/hr); the eco mode, on the other hand, offers the most efficiency (power of 140 kW, torque of 300 Nm, speed up to 150 km/hr). The normal mode is somewhere between the other two (power of 170 kW, torque of 345 Nm, top speed of 180 km/hr) and is a good compromise.

The Mokka also has a B (braking) mode on the gear selector, which allows you to benefit from increased regenerative braking, reduce the use of the brake pedal, and convert more energy into electricity and recharge the battery. The effects are particularly noticeable in hilly environments.

Range of 336 km WLTP

Besides its electric version, the new Mokka GSE is also available with a hybrid or combustion engine powertrain. The electric model that we tested has a range of 336 km WLTP, an energy consumption of 18.5 kWh/100km, and a 54 kWh lithium-ion battery. Our test drive of 178 km lasted roughly two hours, and after driving on the highway and through countryside roads whilst testing all three drive modes, we brought the car back with 58% of the battery remaining.

To charge from 20% to 80% using cable mode 2 AC charging would take 20 hours and 40 mins; using cable mode 3 would take 3 hours and 10 minutes. Using a rapid 100 kW DC charger, it would take 27 minutes to go from 20% to 80% of battery capacity.

For people who prioritise the experience

Given its interior characteristics and the car’s power and agility, the new electric Mokka would be most suitable for people who prioritise the driving experience and appreciate a sporty car, regardless of their age. Prices in Luxembourg start at €37,407 TVAC.

We like

Responsiveness
Power
Multiple driving modes: eco, normal, sport
Fun driving experience

We don’t like

Bulky headrests
Difficult to check blind spot
Cramped backseat is not very comfortable
Not a lot of space in trunk