Opel will launch Manta-inspired EV in shift to all-electric brand

Opel/Vauxhall will become a pure electric brand in Europe by 2028 and will launch a full-electric car inspired by the 1970s Opel Manta.

"The Manta is a real icon in our brand’s history and an inspiration for its future. We will bring a new Manta into serial production by mid-decade. Purely electric, of course,”  CEO Michael Lohscheller said in a statement.

Opel's electric deadline falls two years before long-time rival Ford, which has promised to electrify its passenger car lineup in Europe by 2030.

Ahead of the 2028 switch, Opel will be fully electrified including hybrid cars by 2024, Lohscheller said on Thursday during parent Stellantis's update on its electrification strategy, without giving an indication of whether the target included mild hybrids.

Stellantis announced four new electric platforms for its brands that will have a range from 500 km (311 miles) to 800 km. They are called STLA Small, STLA Medium, STLA Large and STLA Frame.

Opel would likely use the STLA Small, with the Medium platform aimed more at premium brands. Large and Frame are aimed at Stellantis's U.S. brands.

Opel currently sells battery-powered versions of its Corsa small hatchback and its Mokka small SUV, as well as full-electric versions of its Vivaro midsize van and Combo compact van. It also sells plug-in hybrid versions of its Grandland compact SUV as well.

Opel's plug-in sales, including both full-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, reached 9 percent of its overall sales in Europe in the first four months, according to data from Berlin-based automotive analyst Matthias Schmidt. 

Lohscheller also said that Opel will launch sales in China. He gave no details on the timing or which models it will sell in the market, where German cars have a high reputation.

"China is the largest automotive market in the world and we are sure that we will grow profitably there. Chinese customers can look forward to our products and our emotional German brand," Lohscheller said.

Opel has already dipped its toes into the Chinese market. It sold about 5,000 cars annually in China the early part of the decade, but sales were hurt because its cars were imported and subject to high tariffs.