Opel CEO Michael Lohscheller Announces Next Steps in Opel Electro-Offensive at IAA

• Curtain-up: Opel boss Lohscheller opens stand in hall 11.0
• World premieres: Opel Corsa, Corsa-e and Corsa-e Rally, new Astra and Grandland X plug-in hybrid
• E-offensive for passengers and LCV: Combo Life, Combo Cargo, Zafira Life and Vivaro electrically driven by 2021
• Electrifying range: All Opel models electrified by 2024
• Way ahead: Opel continues fuel cell development with Zafira Life

Opel CEO Michael Lohscheller with Jürgen Klopp and New Opel Corsa-e

Opel boss Michael Lohscheller – together with special guest and Opel brand ambassador Jürgen Klopp – today opened the “OPELHAUS 120” at the 2019 IAA Frankfurt International Motor Show (public days September 12-22). Opel is going electric and the same goes for the show stand D31 in hall 11.0. In a talk with Champions League winner Klopp, Lohscheller presented breaking news about the E-offensive around LCV and eye-catching world premieres. 

Opel CEO Michael Lohscheller with Jürgen Klopp and New Opel Grandland X Hybrid4

The highly efficient new Opel Corsa, the battery electric Corsa-e and Corsa-e Rally make their debut in Frankfurt, along with the first Opel plug-in hybrid, the all-wheel drive Grandland X Hybrid4 with up to 221kW (300hp) system power output (fuel consumption: WLTP 1.4-1.3 l/100km, 32-29 g/km CO2; NEDC 1.5 l/100km 35-34 g/km CO2; all figures weighted, combined and preliminary). Also making their first appearance in Frankfurt are the new Opel Astra five-door and Sports Tourer – the most efficient Astra of all time, with five engines emitting less than 100 g/km CO2and an exceptionally low drag coefficient of 0.26. Also making its premiere at a German motor show is the Opel Zafira Life that offers seating for up to nine and is packed with innovative technologies.

Opel Press conference at IAA 2019

Michael Lohscheller emphasised the importance of Opel’s electric offensive: “In 120 years of automobile production, Opel has always combined German engineering with passionate design, making pioneering technology and innovations accessible for everyone. The same goes today for electric mobility, which is why Opel has selected its most popular model, the Corsa, to finally free e-mobility from its niche existence.” That this not only applies to everyday life, but also to motor sport, is demonstrated by the premiere of the brand new Corsa-e Rally. Opel is the first carmaker to offer a battery electric car for customer rally sport, starting from next year with the ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup.

Opel Press conference at IAA 2019

Not only the passenger cars, but also the LCV will be electrically driven in future. Lohscheller added: “Opel will be sustainably profitable, global and electric. By 2024, all Opel models will be electrified. Electrically driven vehicles will be especially important for the ‘last mile’ in urban areas, for example, for transportation services or businesses. This is why I am delighted to announce today that the Opel Combo Life, Combo Cargo and Zafira Life will already be electric in 2021. And the Vivaro van will be available as an electric version in the course of next year.”

Opel Zafira Life in particular will play a key role in the further development of electric mobility. In addition to bringing hybrid and battery electric vehicles onto the market, Opel also aims to take the lead in the research and development of other pioneering propulsion systems. Lohscheller therefore announced “Opel has many years of experience in fuel cell development, which is why the team in Rüsselsheim has been named as the Groupe PSA global competence centre for hydrogen and fuel cell vehicles. The first-generation Zafira already served as technology platform for HydroGen 1 to 3. We are continuing this tradition: the new Zafira Life will be the brand’s first model to feature the new generation of fuel cell powertrain.”

Next generation small car: Opel Corsa, Corsa-e and Corsa-e Rally

Opel CEO Michael Lohscheller with New Opel Corsa-e

One of this year’s IAA stars is the new 4.06-metre long Opel Corsa. The sixth generation of Opel’s bestselling small car is more modern, dynamic and efficient than ever – in every version. It offers customers the entire drive portfolio – with its particularly economical petrol and diesel engines as well as for the first time the purely battery-electric Corsa-e with a 50kWh battery pack, 100kW (136hp) output and a range of up to 330 kilometres (WLTP3). Moderate fuel consumption and an engaging drive are characteristic of all powertrain options and the exemplary emission values reach all the way to zero when driving the Corsa-e. The sporty overall impression is matched by the reduced weight – the lightest Corsa even undercuts the thousand kilo mark – the low seating position of the driver and the finely tuned chassis. All this comes with everyday suitability and combined with technologies otherwise only known from higher vehicle classes, in particular the adaptive, glare-free IntelliLux LED Matrix light.

Opel CEO Michael Lohscheller with All-New Opel Corsa

Opel also makes a clear statement with the premiere of the Corsa-e Rally based on the production Corsa-e: the company is the first automobile manufacturer in the world to develop a battery-electric vehicle for customer rally sport. From mid-2020, Opel will start the ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup, the first rally brand cup for electric cars in the world. Sporty, emotional and accessible to customers – a project that will point the way ahead for motor sport far beyond the borders of Germany.

Opel Grandland X Hybrid4: introducing the first plug-in hybrid from Opel

Opel CEO Michael Lohscheller with New Opel Grandland X Hybrid4

With its state-of-the-art plug-in hybrid technology, up to 221 kW (300 hp) system power output and all-wheel drive, the Opel Grandland X is the second example of modern, efficient electro-mobility on Opel’s IAA stand. The propulsion system of the Grandland X Hybrid4 includes a WLTP-certified 147 kW (200 hp) 1.6-litre turbocharged direct-injection petrol engine, an electric drive system with two 80 kW (109 hp) electric motors and a 13.2 kWh lithium-ion battery.

Opel Grandland X Hybrid4 will offer four driving modes – electric, hybrid, AWD and Sport. For example, the hybrid mode allows the car to automatically select its most efficient method of propulsion, with the possibility of switching to electric mode for zero-emission driving when reaching a city centre – enabling the car to cover up to 59km in pure electric mode with zero emissions in the WLTP3 driving cycle. Sport mode uses the combined power of the petrol engine and electric motor for higher driving dynamics. Selecting AWD mode activates the electrified rear axle for maximum traction on all kinds of roads. In order to further improve efficiency, the Grandland X Hybrid4 features a regenerative braking system to recover the energy produced under braking or deceleration.

Economical petrol powertrains: Most efficient Opel Astra ever

With the new Astra, Opel keeps its promise to focus on customers and their needs. Instead of prescribing the way forward, the automaker offers the entire drive portfolio – perfectly tailored to individual driving needs. New Opel Astra demonstrates how efficient and economical modern petrol engines can be: with a completely new generation of engines and transmissions and up to 21 per cent lower CO2 emissions, the new Astra is the most efficient ever. Opel Astra also leads the way in terms of aerodynamics. With a drag coefficient of 0.26 for the Astra hatchback as well as the Sports Tourer estate, the new compact Opel is one of the most aerodynamic cars in its class. New Opel Astra is equally exemplary in terms of comfort, assistance and infotainment systems. The portfolio ranges from an even more powerful front camera and digital rear view camera, to wireless charging for compatible smartphones and a heated windscreen.

IAA starts with the press days (September 10 - 11). The show is officially open from September 12-22 (September 12-13 are trade days). From September 14, the general public can take a close look at the new automobiles and developments every day from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Modern and Open-Minded: Opel Stand at IAA Embodies Brand Image

• “Opel goes electric!”: Welcome to “OPELHAUS 120“ at Frankfurt IAA
• Bold, pure, German: stand design as homage to Bauhaus movement
• From “120years“ to “Opel goes electric!“: with 120 years of tradition into the automotive future
• Unconventional: CEO Michael Lohscheller opens stand on September 10 at 9.05 a.m.
• Augmented Reality: gain new insights into Opel Corsa-e and Opel Grandland X Hybrid4

New Opel Corsa and Corsa-e, the Opel Grandland X plug-in hybrid and the new Opel Astra celebrate their world premieres at this year's IAA (public days September 12-22). Another exceptional debutant is the Corsa-e Rally – the first electric competition car for customer rally sport in the world. The Rüsselsheim automaker extends an invitation to visit their very special stand at the Frankfurt show: the “OPELHAUS 120”. The name says it all and reveals what visitors can expect from Opel: a deep sense of tradition as a German brand with “120 years of automobile production” coupled with open-mindedness. The stand is a reminiscence of the clear Bauhaus style, with Opel flavour highlights adding emotional and modern accents – and embodies the overarching motto “Opel goes electric!” With the premiere of Corsa-e and Grandland X Hybrid4 (WLTP fuel consumption: 1.6 l/100 km with 37 g/km CO2; NEDC2: 1.6 l/100 km, 36 g/km CO2; weighted, combined, provisional values), Opel is making the automotive future a reality.

Opel already demonstrates this on the first press day (September 10, 2019) at the IAA, because this year it is not a classic press conference that will get everything started. Instead, Opel CEO Michael Lohscheller will open the brand's IAA stand in a very unique, welcoming way, starting at 9:05 a.m. at stand number D31 in Hall 11.0.

“We are delighted to welcome all visitors at the IAA to 'OPELHAUS 120'” says Opel CEO Michael Lohscheller. “Experience with us how Opel, as a traditional German brand, is shaping the automotive future. Opel goes electric!: we are now keeping this with the Corsa‑e and the Grandland X Hybrid4.”

“OPELHAUS 120”: Opel tradition as German brand

Opel Stand at IAA 2019

Opel vehicles are characterised by a bold, pure and emotional design, precise technical sophistication down to the last detail and are accessible to everyone. It is precisely this spirit that visitors to the “OPELHAUS 120” will be able to feel and experience. The number symbolises the current anniversary of “120 years of Opel automobile production”. Added to this is a very special design that is as bold as it is pure, reduced to the essentials. As Walter Gropius, the founder of the Bauhaus art school whose style is characteristic of Opel, put it: “less is more”. Clear structures with balanced proportions define the OPELHAUS. The nearly 1,000 square metre stand is composed around a modular concept of 2 x 2 metre squares, while the six-metre high main building at the rear is a white illuminated grid. The materials developed for this new stand concept will be re-used for future Motorshows to ensure a consistent brand look and feel.

Twelve vehicles ranging from the new Opel Corsa to the Grandland X Hybrid4, the new Astra five-door and Sports Tourer to the Zafira Life, Combo Life and Insignia are exhibited on the Opel stand – clearly arranged and immediately accessible to everyone.

“e-Path”: Opel goes electric – warm, open, human

OPELHAUS 

But Opel wouldn't be Opel if it didn't add a modern human twist to the traditional virtues. Highlight at the OPELHAUS will be the “e-Path”, illuminated in warm Opel yellow, which spectacularly breaks up the otherwise linear structure of the stand. It is the core of “Opel goes electric!” and with its pulsating yellow tones conveys the warmth that light and electricity radiate to the observer. In the middle of the “e-Path”, the new Opel Corsa-e – the electric car for everyone – is in the spotlight on a round podium. The electric path then merges into the rear wall, climbing up a ramp that runs diagonally from bottom to top, where the legendary Opel Elektro-GT and the Opel Corsa-e Rally are on display. Together they form a bridge from the past to future developments in electric mobility. Just like the e-Path, the large digital, illuminated Opel logo on the left wall breaks up the clear stand structure and shows that Opel is livelier than ever, open to new “cool” ideas and is taking everyone along on the journey into the future of mobility.

Opel Stand at IAA 2019: Making of

Opel for everyone: open, accessible, exciting

Visitors to the Opel stand can experience the brand's journey from the beginning of automobile production to the latest electric models in a pleasant, varied and thoroughly surprising way. For example, they can find out more about the milestones in automobile development at Opel on clearly structured information walls next to the Opel shop, filled with brand new articles. With Augmented Reality technology, they can use tablets that make it possible to take an X-ray look under the bonnet of the Opel Corsa-e and Opel Grandland X Hybrid4. For those who have always wanted to find out more about the drive train of an electric vehicle: simply hold the tablet up to the exhibit – and completely new perspectives open up ... Last but not least, guests have the opportunity to take selfies from their visit to the IAA around the large yellow interactive electric "E" in the middle of the Opel stand. Other spots offer space to rest, chat and talk to the Opel experts in a typically Opel atmosphere: modern, cosmopolitan, approachable.

Behind the Scenes:

Opel Elektro-GT

Opel Corsa-e Rally 

Information on “OPELHAUS 120” at the IAA

• Total stand area: 987 square metres
• Height of rear wall: 6.0 metres (maximum allowed booth height)
• Eye-catcher: “e-Path“ with Opel Corsa-e, Elektro-GT and Corsa-e Rally
• Planning time: 11 months
• Construction time: 17 days
• Exhibits: 11 vehicles on press days, 12 vehicles on public days plus 2 elevated cars on stand structure and Corsa-e battery pack

Groupe PSA’s passenger cars are all certified under the new EURO 6 requirements and are immediately available for customers.

• All Peugeot, Citroën, DS, Opel and Vauxhall passenger cars are approved under the new EURO 6 emission standard effective on 1 September 2019: “EURO 6d-TEMP-EVAP-ISC”.

• Thanks to sound technological choices made in anticipation of the regulations – SCR “Selective Catalytic Reduction” and GPF “Gasoline Particulate Filter” –, Groupe PSA is once again at the forefront for implementing the more stringent standards.

Nicolas Morel, Executive Vice President for Quality and Engineering at Groupe PSA, confirms: “Groupe PSA was one of the few carmakers ready last year for the first step of WLTP [1] and able to deliver all its range to its customers after 1 September 2018. One year on, Groupe PSA is on schedule again and has punctually type-approved all passenger car models in due time. Our technological choices to treat pollutant emissions allow us to offer our customers compliant and environmentally friendly vehicles.”

The targets for the measurement of passenger car emissions become tougher again on 1 September 2019, with the following additions:

• Test for RDE (Real Driving Emissions): this test defines the admissible deviation between the polluting emissions (NOx, PN) measured on vehicles in real-world driving conditions and the emissions measured in the new certification procedure. The requirement is a coefficient of 2.1 for NOx emissions. Groupe PSA models are approved. Moreover, 80% of Groupe PSA passenger cars are already compliant with the next regulation step “EURO 6d-ISC” to be implemented in January 2020 with a required coefficient of 1+0.43 of measurement dispersion.

• Test for EVAP (EVAPorative emissions): EVAP is the measurement of the amount of hydrocarbons that evaporates from a car’s fuel system over a period of 48 hours. This primarily concerns the fuel tank ventilation of petrol cars.

Test for ISC (In Service Conformity): ISC means that automobiles up to five years old and already on the road must continue to comply with all emissions standards.

These tests have already been completed for all passenger car models and the vehicles are certified accordingly. Customers can order all models from Groupe PSA’s brands (Peugeot, Citroën, DS, Opel and Vauxhall) today and can be sure that their new car already meets all current standards and can be delivered without delay.

[1] WLTP: Worldwide harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure.