The Vauxhall Astra Plug-In Hybrid Hatchback: The Complete Guide For India

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Electric Cars: The Basics

For those of you new to zero-emission electric driving, we recommend a read of the following articles:

For those keen on an overview of the Indian and global electric vehicle (EV) market, simply scroll down to the end of the article!

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The Vauxhall Astra Hybrid-e Hatchback

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Vauxhall Motors (Opel) is part of the Netherlands based Stellantis N.V., which was formed by the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (Italian/ American) and Groupe PSA (French). You may not be familiar with these names, but the automotive brands in the portfolio would be well known to most consumers.

These include: Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, Jeep, FIAT, Alfa Romeo etc. The Vauxhall electric vehicle (EV) portfolio includes both, battery-electric vehicle (BEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) models:

• Vauxhall Mokka-e SUV
• Vauxhall Corsa-e Hatchback
• Vauxhall Grandland Plug-In Hybrid SUV
• Vauxhall Astra Hybrid-e hatchback
• Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer

The ubiquitous Vauxhall Astra is a compact family car that was introduced in 1991. The latest generation (8th generation/ 2022 model) is available as a conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) and also as a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).

This is the first Astra PHEV! Vauxhall is expected to also introduce a pure electric variant in due course. The 2022 makeover has certainly made the exterior styling a lot more appealing, in particular, the new distinctive front and the two-tone roof. However, the improvements are not limited to the exterior. The interior has also been improved, to include two 10-inch screens called ‘Pure Panel’ and better material quality.

There is no doubt, in that, PHEVs have many advantages over conventional petrol and diesel cars. These include, lower tailpipe-emissions, cheaper costs per km to drive (pure electric mode) and instant torque. For those individuals and families that use a car for several shorter trips, a PHEV is a fantastic way to save money and improve local air quality.

The Astra plug-in hybrid electric hatchback has much to offer aspiring drivers keen to migrate to lower emission electric driving. For a start, the 12.4 kW onboard EV battery has a zero-tailpipe emission electric range up to 70 km (WLTP certified). This is an above average EV range, compared to other PHEVs in this segment. Most average between 40 – 50 km.

Even accounting for real-world driving conditions, the Astra electric car should be able to achieve a EV range up to 60 km. Do keep in mind that an average journey is a mere 20 km and the average distance covered in a day is a mere 50 km. Therefore, a 60 km emission-free electric range is useful. The Astra PHEV has a 3.7 kW onboard charger as standard(0%-100%: 3 hours 30 minutes). However, there is the option to upgrade to 7.4 kW (0%-100%: 1 hour 55 minutes).

Taking advantage of the EV range will also require inculcating a habit of charging the EV on a regular basis, which again is as easy as charging a smartphone. We at e-zoomed discourage the use of a domestic 3-PIN plug for charging an electric car. A ‘topping up’ approach to charging will help improve the overall efficiency of the vehicle and also improve the long-term maintenance of the onboard EV battery. Vauxhall offers a 8 years or 160,000 km warranty.

Driving on e-mode will also improve the efficiency of the EV. Vauxhall claims a fuel economy up to 1.1 l/100km. In the real-world achieving this will be a challenge, however, the PHEV will deliver a better fuel economy compared to the conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) variant. Of course, if you are driving mostly on the motorway, with limited use of the electric range, the fuel consumption of the EV will be closer to the conventional ICE variant.

The Astra plug-in hybrid pairs a 1.6-litre (AT8) petrol engine with an electric motor (81 kW), powered by an onboard EV battery. In terms of performance, the front-wheel drive electric hatchback has decent capability for driving on motorways and in cities. The PHEV has a top speed of 225 km/h and can achieve 0-100 km/h in 7.7 seconds. The EV delivery a maximum 180 HP output (torque: 360 Nm).

We encourage drivers to use the pure electric mode to drive within city limits, to save money and reduce tailpipe pollution. The Astra PHEV has tailpipe emissions up to 26g(CO2/km), far lower than the petrol or diesel variant (128g CO2/km).

Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet! The Vauxhall plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) is not available in India.

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PROS	CONS
Good looking exterior design	7.2 kW on board charger not standard
Decent electric range (70 km)	Rear seats headroom limited for taller passengers
High quality infotainment system	Boot space limited (352 L)

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The Vauxhall Astra PHEV Hatchback (credit: Vauxhall)

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At A Glance
EV Type:	Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV)
Body Type:	Hatchback
Engine:	Petrol/Electric
Available In India:	No

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Variants (1 Option)
Vauxhall Astra (from ₹ N/A)

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EV Battery & Emissions
EV Battery Type:	Lithium-ion
EV Battery Capacity:	Available in one battery size: 12.4 kWh
Charging:	Onboard charger: 3.7kW AC as standard(0%-100%: 3h 30m). 7.4kW AC optional (0%-100%: 1h 55m)
Charge Port:	Type 2
EV Cable Type:	Type 2
Tailpipe Emissions:	24 – 26 g (CO2/km)
EV Battery Warranty:	8 years/160,000 km/70% capacity

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Charging Times (Overview)
Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW):	6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC)
Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW):	3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging AC (43 kW):	0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging DC (50 kW+):	0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Ultra rapid charging DC (150 kW+):	0-80% : 20 mins to 40 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Tesla Supercharger (120 kW – 250 kW):	0-80%: up to 25 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)

• Note 1: SoC: state of charge

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Dimensions
Height (mm):	1441
Width (mm):	1860
Length (mm):	4374
Wheelbase (mm):	2675
Turning Circle (m):	10.5
Boot Space (L):	352

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HYBRID-e
EV Battery Capacity:	12.4 kWh
Pure Electric Range (WLTP):	70 km
Fuel Consumption (l/100km):	1.1
EV Operation Efficiency (kWh/100km):	16.0
Charging:	Onboard charger: 3.7 kW AC as standard(0%-100%: 3h 30m). 7.4 kW AC optional (0%-100%: 1h 55m)
Top Speed:	225 km/h
0-100 km/h:	7.7 seconds
Drive:	Front-wheel drive (FWD)
Electric Motor (kW):	81
Max Power (HP):	180
Torque (Nm):	360
Transmission:	Automatic
Seats:	5
Doors:	5
Kerb Weight (kg):	1,678
Colours:	7
NCAP Safety Rating:	Five-Star

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Pure Electric Cars Available In India

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For most of us in India, recognising an electric car on our roads will be a challenge. Compared to the more matured EV markets, like China and Europe, the availability of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) in India is still limited.

Having said that, the leading automotive manufacturers in India, like Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra, have demonstrated leadership in the development and introduction of electric vehicles (EVs) in India, to include, the Tata Nexon EV and the Mahindra eVerito. Tata announced recently it had increased its sale of EVs in India by a whopping 353% in FY22 compared to FY21. Tata sold 19,106 EVs in FY22.

India currently has up to 20 pure electric cars on sale, ranging from Rs 11.99 to Rs 2.05 Crore. Leading international automotive brands like Audi AG, BMW AG, Hyundai Motor Company, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), Mercedes-Benz, MG Motors, Porsche AG & the Volvo Group have introduced plug-in pure electric cars in India.

We can expect many more international automotive companies to follow suit, to include, the famed EV manufacturer, Tesla Inc. In fact, Elon Musk has already made public his intentions to sell Tesla electric cars in India.

For the successful development of the electric driving market, the deployment of widespread EV charging infrastructure is a prerequisite, to include, charging at home and public EV charging stations. In India, electric car charging infrastructure is still at very nascent stages. The total number of public charge points in India are currently a mere 1,742. EV chargers installed at homes is also at a nascent stage.

Lastly, the introduction of cheaper electric cars with longer ranges is vital in building confidence with potential buyers to migrate to zero-tailpipe emission electric cars. EVs at a price point below Rs 20 Lakhs will be key in spurring growth in the Indian EV market. Below is a list of BEVs currently available in India.

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EV	Type Of EV	Price
Audi e-tron	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)	Rs 1.00 Crore
Audi RS e-tron GT	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)	Rs 2.05 Crore
Audi e-tron Sportback	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)	Rs 1.19 Crore
Audi e-tron GT	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)	Rs 1.8 Crore
BMW iX Electric SAV	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)	Rs 1.16 Crore
Hyundai Kona Electric	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)	Rs 23.79 Lakhs
Jaguar I-PACE	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)	Rs 1.05 Crore
Mercedes-Benz EQC	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)	Rs 1.06 Crore
MG ZS EV	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)	Rs 21.49 Lakhs
Porsche Taycan	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)	Rs. 1.5 Crore
Porsche Cayenne E	Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV)	Rs 1.58 Crore
Tata Tigor EV	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)	Rs 11.99 Lakhs
Tata Nexon	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)	Rs 14.24 Lakhs
Volvo XC90	Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV)	Rs 95 Lakhs

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While e-zoomed uses reasonable efforts to provide accurate and up-to-date information, some of the information provided is gathered from third parties and has not been independently verified by e-zoomed. While the information from the third party sources is believed to be reliable, no warranty, express or implied, is made by e-zoomed regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. This disclaimer applies to both isolated and aggregate uses of this information.

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