New Vauxhall Astra Electric: price, trim levels and details

• Maximum range of 258 miles
• Front-mounted 154bhp electric motor
• Orders open now from £39,995

Vauxhall Astra Electric pricing has been confirmed as order books open, with the important EV set to start from £39,995 – that’s just £2,000 below the current price of an entry-level Tesla Model 3. Other rivals include the £37,115 Volkswagen ID.3 and Renault Megane E-Tech which kicks off from £36,995, while the £26,995 entry-level MG4 significantly undercuts its classmates.

Vauxhall has pledged to become an all-electric brand by 2028 and while the British marque already offers two strong EVs in the form of the Corsa Electric and Mokka Electric, the all-new Vauxhall Astra Electric is set to perhaps become the most important plug-in addition to the range. It commands a circa £2,000 uplift in price versus the plug-in hybrid Astra, but Vauxhall has also confirmed it will offer its zero-emissions Astra on a 0% interest PCP deal, costing £259 per month over three years.

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Like the standard petrol-powered model, the Astra Electric will be offered in both hatchback and Sports Tourer estate body styles. The electric family hatchback segment is a rapidly developing one, with the Astra Estate set to rival the likes of the MG4, Volkswagen ID.3 and the Peugeot e-308, with which it shares many of its parts.

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From the outside, there’s very little to distinguish the Astra Electric from its petrol counterpart. Just like the regular car, the plug-in Astra gets Vauxhall’s signature ‘Vizor’ front-end design which houses many of the car’s driver assistance systems and flows into a set of slim LED headlights.

One significant change is that the Vauxhall Astra Electric also comes as standard with a set of diamond-cut 18-inch alloy wheels; these can be optionally specified in gloss black and are outfitted with aerodynamic trim pieces in order to improve range. There are also some ‘e’ badges to denote its electric powertrain and a black roof.

New Vauxhall Astra Electric trim levels

The range kicks off with GS trim, fitted with the twin 10-inch screen ‘Pure Panel’ as standard, bringing wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with six speakers and Vauxhall Connect, the brand’s Internet-based service. Comfort is taken care of with dual-zone climate control, heated front seats and keyless entry and ignition. To cement its sporty appearance, the grille and Griffin badge are painted black, and there’s a black headliner and sports pedals inside.

Ultimate brings Vauxhall’s IntelliLux LED adaptive headlights, along with semi-autonomous driver aids that can keep the car in its lane on the motorway. A head-up display and wireless smartphone charger are fitted, along with Alcantara seat trim, a panoramic sunroof and a heated and noise-reducing insulated windscreen.

Thanks to clever packaging, the Astra Electric’s boot is no smaller than the petrol-assisted Astra plug-in hybrid. This means that while the hatchback has 351 litres of space behind the rear seats, it’s still slightly down on what’s offered by made-for-purpose EVs, such as the Cupra Born. If you need even more space, the electric version of the Astra Sports Tourer boasts a spacious 516-litre load bay. Owners with young children are catered for with ISOFIX child-seat fixings on the outer two rear seats.

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Powertrains, range and charging

Like the petrol Vauxhall Astra that shares its underpinnings with the Peugeot 308, the Astra Electric is mechanically similar to the electrified Peugeot e-308. All four cars sit on parent brand Stellantis’ new EMP-2 underpinnings, with the two electric models powered by a “next-generation” 54kWh battery pack. The Astra’s new electric motor also matches that of the e-308, producing 154bhp. There are ‘Eco’, ‘Normal’ and ‘Sport’ driving modes which allow the driver to choose the level of performance they prefer.

Though exact figures have yet to be released, expect Vauxhall’s electric family hatchback to get from 0-62mph in between eight and nine seconds; top speed has been confirmed as 105mph, however. With a gentle right foot, Vauxhall claims the Astra Electric will do 258 miles on a single charge, which is slightly better than the equivalent e-308. Standard 100kW fast charging means a 10-80% top-up will take around half an hour. A full charge from a 7kW home wallbox should take just under eight hours, while an 11kW charger (where three-phase AC power is available) can cut this to less than six hours.

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Drivers using the MyVauxhall smartphone companion app will also be able to set charging to take advantage of cheaper off-peak tariffs, when the grid typically also has a higher proportion of renewable energy on tap. If you don’t have your mobile device handy, this can also be activated with a button inside the charging flap.

Looking for an EV that’ll cope with the strains of family life? Check out our list of the top 10 best electric family cars