The Opel Corsa-e is an electric car that "most people" can buy. It looks good, has a usable range and charging speed, - and doesn't cost much more than a used e-Golf.
Why Corsa-e?
It was my wife who brought the Corsa-e to the track. The night before I had searched for cars on the car sharing portal Getaround.no and during the night a teaser had arrived on the company email about completing the order for the Corsa-e. That prompted her to suggest renting a Corsa electric car for the Tuesday we were going on a trip. Like most ladies, she wants a nimble car that is easy to maneuver in the parking garages, but is big enough for a married couple to take trips around the countryside. Earlier this spring we had a Corsa petrol car on Spanish plates for a few weeks. In short, I can say that it was "all right for its price range". Will the electric car version of the same car be just as good with batteries and on Norwegian roads?
Usable electric car
There aren't that many usable electric cars to choose from in the Corsa's price range. For us means usable a car with the range to visit friends in Tønsberg and return to Oslo without recharging en route. Furthermore, it must be able to offer all-right comfort and space - be easy to drive and have safe driving characteristics. The competitors are the Nissan Leaf, Renault Zoe, Opel Mokka, Hyundai Kona and Kia e-Soul. Looking at the models through my wife's female eyes, Zoe and Corsa end up as clear favourites. For my part, I imagine how an everyday life behind the wheel of the Corsa-e will fade away.
Good experiences with the petrol version
I already partially know the answer. The Corsa does not appear to be a dream car in my eyes. But Opel's new models look better than in a long time and you get a car that doesn't cost a fortune, that will hold its value well and will be cheap to both own and drive due to the tax policy. The new Opel Corsa PureTech worked well when we stayed in our shepherd's hut in the South of France. There, the car fleet is older and consists of smaller cars than here. The best sellers are currently the Peugeot 208, Citroen C2 and Renault Clio. Here at home, the models in the B segment are almost disappearing from the sales lists due to the fact that they cannot be supplied as electric cars.
Built over the same last
The Corsa-e is built in the same way as a petrol-powered Corsa. There are no visible differences between the two variants. Both have the front engine and front-wheel drive. The batteries are in two banks - one under each row of seats. In addition, electronics are placed under the luggage compartment. I didn't notice it at first glance, but the electric car has less luggage space than the petrol car. Inside, everything seems pretty much the same. The Corsa-e has a gear lever with transmission forwards and backwards "by wire", "Park" on its own button and an electromechanical handbrake between the seats.
Plus for front wheel drive
The Corsa-e has the same good driving characteristics as the petrol version. On the road it feels like a car in the class above. I noticed that it was a little heavier - in a positive way. The electric car then also weighs 367 kg more than the petrol car. I noted the same precise steering and fine road holding as the petrol car. It is also worth highlighting the front wheel drive when winter comes. Unlike me, my wife does not like the car "cha-cha-cha dancing" on snowy roads.
The trip
We set out on a trip over Sollihøgda towards Sundvollen. It was time for lunch at Vik Skysstasjon. As usual good food and good service. It was pike cakes for me and Caesar salad for the wife. One of the tables with a view of the Steinsfjorden is our "main table". We were on our way to a place on the other side, but took the long way across the north side of the fjord. We had dessert at Åsa Landhandleri, where they sell soft ice cream. The space appears as a period piece from 1980. A perfect background for a photoshoot of cars from the same era.
Range and consumption
Opel shares batteries and drivetrains with other models on the same platform from Peugeot and Citroen and others. I have previously driven this drivetrain in the Toyota ProAce Electric and then concluded that the 50 Kwh battery pack gave too little range for such a large car. For the Corsa-e, on the other hand, the range is much better. "Our" car has a range of 337 km measured according to WLTP combined. On cars manufactured from December 2021, the range has been increased to 359 km by, among other things, optimizing the heat pump, changing the gear ratio and the option to choose tires with less rolling resistance. Real range can vary greatly depending on the road, speed and temperature. My own experiences with electric and hybrid cars in daily operation is that real range often ends up at 4/5ths of the WLTP range. For upgraded Corsa-e, this will mean 287 km. At Opel's websites is there a useful calculator to calculate real range. Here are some examples:
80 km/t ved 20 grader og aircon
311 km
110 km/t ved 20 grader og aircon
217 km
80 km/t ved 0 grader og varme
262 km
110 km/t ved 0 grader og varme
188 km
80 km/t ved -10 grader og varme
225 km
110 km/t ved -10 grader og varme
169 km
Estimated range based on our driving over a distance of 115,6 km would give between 335 – 345 km. It is based on ideal conditions - calm road driving in temperatures between 16-20 degrees with an interior temperature of 21 degrees and driving mode "Normal". You can choose "Eco" for optimal range. It makes the car slow and adjusts the interior climate. The Corsa-e has a heat pump so moderate use of cooling and heating has little effect on the range according to Opel's range calculator. "Eco" should only be selected in the event of an acute power crisis.
According to the trip computer, the average consumption of "our" car was 16,4 Kwt/100km measured since the car was new.
charging
There is a lot of talk about fast chargers. The more Kw, the better. But my experience is that I rarely experience getting the stated number of Kw even if the car can receive it. The higher the Kw, the greater the deviation. Corsa-e can receive a decent 100Kw. Then you can charge from 0-80% in 30 minutes. When I fast-charged the Corsa at a station with "only" 50Kw, it quickly charged from 59% up to 90%. Converted, the time would correspond to about 60 minutes to charge from 0-80%.
When I charged from the 11Kw wall box, the car did not take more than about 3,6kw. I tried in two cases and both gave the same result. I guess the car's Type2 cable didn't allow 32A. But there may also be other reasons in my charging network. Wall chargers are most often used between trips. Then time plays less of a role. Anyway, the Corsa-e has an on-board charger for both 7,4Kw and 11Kw. With 11 Kw, the car should be fully charged in about 5,5 hours.
Place
With a length of just over 4 metres, the car is ideal for street parking and maneuvering in narrow car parks. But the Corsa does not seem designed to provide optimal interior space within the external dimensions. Perhaps that is the price you have to pay for an appealing exterior. A car with optimal use of space would be more "boxy" and perhaps less beautiful. Earlier this year, when I drove two burly fellows to the railway station, he who sat in the front seat had to sit with his knees all the way up in the dash so that he who sat in the back would have room. Suitcases require one of the rear seats to be folded down. Cars in the B class are therefore not suitable for families who depend on using more than 3 seats. Legroom in the back seat is on par with other cars in the same class. With two couples in the car, it works best if women and men sit diagonally. Two men in the same longitudinal direction require cooperation. But tall people will be able to get comfortable behind the wheel. I am 1,88 meters tall and have shoe size 46 and it fit perfectly.
Security
EuroNCAP tested the 2019 Opel Corsa – 1,2 Edition. There, the new Corsa only got 4 out of 5 stars! The problem for Opel is that what is standard safety equipment varies between different countries. The department that tested the new Corsa was located in a country where the middle position in the back seat lacked a headrest in the standard equipment. It is further stated in the report that the test car's side airbags only provided protection for the chest section and not the pelvis. Modern side airbags are usually two-piece – one for the chest and one for the pelvis. Opel's international brochure material unfortunately bears the stamp of being a rushed project. Neither the brochures nor the websites explain what kind of safety equipment is available in the Corsa. Too bad, because the smaller a car model is, the more important built-in safety modules are.
Opel should understand that in 2022 today's small car customers are more concerned with safety equipment than the color of the seat cover.
By looking up the German instruction manual, I have found text that explains that the side airbags in the Corsa are two-piece to protect both the chest and the pelvis. Newly developed cars today also have a central airbag which prevents people in the same row of seats from "clashing" their heads into each other in side collisions. This was not common equipment at the time when the current Corsa model was developed, and is therefore not installed.
The report from EuroNCAP however, shows that both driver and passenger escaped safely in all types of collisions. The only critical point is the high risk of whiplash injuries in both the front and rear seats.
Economy
The Opel Corsa-e is one of the most affordable models of "usable" electric cars on the market, that is, it meets minimum requirements with regard to range and space. Purchase price and operating costs are one of the model's most important advantages and will play a more decisive role for "most people" now that we are entering difficult times. At the moment there are favorable ones promotional prices for cars with equipment packages.
Used imports
At the moment, it may seem that the used market is dominated by used cars imported from abroad. When comparing prices on used cars, you have to take into account that used imported cars often lack winter tyres, which the dealer is unlikely to inform you about before you are ready to sign a contract. Also remember that the Corsa-e produced from December 2021 has an extended range of approx. 359 km. I mention it because a dealer chain advertises used import cars on Finn.no as 2022 models without stating when they are first registered.
Popular B-class cars have generally had good trade-in prices. I think the electric cars in this class will also benefit from that. One of the questions one can ask is how Opel's popularity will be in a few years. The brand is now part of the giant group Stellantis, which is going to use the ax on unprofitable projects. according to elbilstatistikk.no the Corsa-e is in 40th place among sold electric cars in Norway with 1995 cars so far this year. In Germany, the Corsa-e is in 6th place among sold electric cars in the first half of the year with 6531 cars – actually one place ahead of the VW ID.3. It is also worth noting that this year's most popular electric car in Germany is the Fiat 500-e. The future for small electric cars looks bright for now.
Smiley faces and surfing
: )
Economical in purchasing and operation
Safe driving characteristics with front-wheel drive
Good range and charging speed
🙁
Not a particularly good use of space
Facts Opel Corsa-e
Weights and Measures
External dimensions - L, W, H: 406 x 177 x 144 cm
Wheelbase: 254 cm
Net weight: 1457 kg (without driver)
Payload: 388 kg
Number of seats: 5
Max trailer weight w/brakes: not possible
– without brakes: not possible
Roof load: not possible
Drivetrain
Engine: Electric located at the front
Power: 136 HP
Torque: 260 Nm > 0 revolutions
Gearbox: 1-speed automatic
Front wheel drive
Performances
Top speed: 150 km/h
0-100: 8,1 seconds
Battery pack
Manufacturer: CATL
Type: Li-ion
Location: Two-part under the bench seats
Temperature control: Liquid-based
Total capacity: 50 Kwh
Available capacity: 46,3 Kwh
Range and consumption
WLTP before Dec.2021: 337 km (combined)
WLTP from Dec. 2021: 359 km (combined)
Estimated range of our driving: 335 – 345 km (dry road, 16-20 degrees, aircon, quiet country road)
Stated consumption WLTP: 16,9 kwh/100 km (brochure Nov. 2022)
Measured consumption: 16,4 kwh/100 km (measured since new)
charging
Contacts: Type2 and CSS
Charging time Type2 32A, 11Kw, 0-100%: 5,5-8 hours
Charging time CSS, 100Kw, 0-80%: 30 min.
Our charging via wall box and Type2 20A: 20 km per hour
Our charging 50Kw 0-80%: 62,4 min (calculated)
Luggage compartment
As a five-seater: 267 litres
Tires
Dimension: 195/55R16
Type: Summer tire
Brand: Continental Eco-Contact
Prices
Price: NOK 282 (Edition)
Lacquer supplement: NOK 4
Backup alarm and camera: NOK 3 (recommended)
Electric rear windows and central armrests: NOK 3
LED light package: NOK 5 (recommended)
Adaptive cruise control, etc.: NOK 5
About the car
Place of manufacture: Zaragoza, Spain
Colour: Crystal Silver/Black
Equipment level: Unknown
Leased by Getaround
Owner: Private
Model: 2022
Mileage: 9140
Km driven: 132
Source: opel.no, opel.de
See
Opel Corsa 1,2 T PureTech
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I would like to add one more negative point about this car and that applies especially to Norwegian conditions with a lot of salt and wet winter roads. The car lacks brake shields on the front wheels and the discs are completely unprotected from the inside. This is particularly unfortunate in an electric car where the brakes are used little as electricity is regenerated when braking. In a critical situation, the braking force will be significantly reduced. After a short time, the inner brake pads will also get stuck in the brake shoe due to the combination of water, salt and asphalt dust after studded tire wear. With further reduced braking power. Opel could easily do something about this, especially for the e-version of the Corsa, which is also heavier than the fossil variants