Opel is said to launch a small electric vehicle in 2017 that will be spun off the carmaker’s upcoming city car, a report from Germany claims. Known under the codename BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle), the vehicle will be significantly smaller and cheaper than the Opel Ampera plug-in electric hybrid, priced from €38,300 ($52,510) in Germany.
According to a report from Automobilwoche, the fifth-generation Corsa is next in Opel’s calendar of launches, with the new model to be unveiled at a major auto show this autumn (most likely Paris) followed by the sales debut in early 2015.
The successor to the Opel Agila (pictured) will follow later in 2015, with an electric version arriving somewhere in 2017. The city car will be priced below €10,000 ($13,717) and will compete with VW’s Up and the trio of mini cars from Toyota and PSA Peugeot-Citroen, among others.
Opel’s BEV will help the automaker comply with EU’s harsh 2021 CO2 requirements. The magazine cited a statement from Opel’s sales boss Peter Christian Küspert who said at an internal dealer meeting in Frankfurt that alternative power is indispensable for Opel in order to comply with the future emissions standards.
By Dan Mihalascu
Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoopS
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