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Driven: 2021 Opel Mokka-e, the First Electric Crossover from Opel

Opel launched the second generation Mokka earlier this year, and it is also offered in an electric version called the Mokka-e. In some countries, where government subsidies are generous enough, the electric version gets close to its ICE siblings in pricing. This is an affordable electric vehicle, but this article is about what it is like to drive.
2021 Opel Mokka-e 53 photos
Photo: Ciprian Mihai
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Like many models offered in both electric and ICE versions, the Mokka-e comes with minimal exterior differences, and the same can be said for the interior. That means that the controls are the same for a conventional Mokka and the Mokka-e.

That is good news if you want something simple to operate when switching to an EV. It may not be as good if you already know what you are doing and want to have a bigger influence on the amount of energy you recover when you take your foot off the accelerator, or if you are a fan of the single-pedal driving mode available in other EVs.

The switch to an electric drivetrain provides the Mokka with a lower center of gravity, but also more weight and no engine noise. With that in mind, it means that any bumps or potholes will be easier to hear while driving. Wind noise is manageable even at highway speeds and can be easily overcome with the onboard sound system.

The steering is rather light at city speeds, as expected, and it gets just a tad stiffer at higher speeds, but not that much. Switching to the Sport mode will bring more stiffness, but it will also feel a bit artificial, like a gaming setup, if you will allow our comparison.

The suspension is set up for comfortable driving, but the Mokka-e will prove to have a firm grip of the road without any effort if you try to drive it in a sportier manner. Naturally, this only works at reasonable road speeds, which means that you can count on it if you want to carry speed through the corners and conserve your energy.

The latter is a good strategy if you want to get the most miles out of the smallest touch of the accelerator. Speaking of accelerating, the Mokka-e is brisk when going from naught to 60 kph (37 mph), for example, but things start to slow down significantly as you come closer to 100 kph (62 mph) and even further above that.

2021 Opel Mokka\-e
Photo: Ciprian Mihai, Bogdan Paraschiv
The explanation is simple, as Opel's Mokka-e is meant mostly for urban driving, but can be taken outside the city if needed. There is no reason to make the vehicle extremely fast, especially if the range will be a problem when driving at its top speed, limited to 150 kph (93 mph). The latter is more than what it is permitted to drive on any highway in the world (except for bits of unrestricted autobahn in Germany).

Acceleration is better than its combustion-engined siblings, especially at lower speeds, but even at higher intervals, such as the European-specific 80-120 kph (49-74 mph) sprint. The torque delivery is instant, and that makes the car feel quicker than its figures might show.

If you pace yourself, you will get a reasonable mileage out of a charge, and you can cover significant distances in a day if that is what you are after. It does require a bit of planning, but it is possible. The Mokka-e has a built-in charger that can manage up to 11 kW on AC and 100 kW on DC if the charging station manages to deliver that kind of power.

The Mokka-e has three driving modes (Normal, Sport, Eco), and this changes how the steering and acceleration react to driver input. For extra regenerative braking, there is a button marked B next to the gear selector, and it is wise to drive with that function activated when you know you want to do a bit more 'engine' braking. In other words, use it everywhere to get the best possible range you can.

Coming back to the suspension, the German subcompact crossover comes with 18-inch wheels on 215/55/R18 tires. These tires are wider than those on its platform sibling in the version fitted with 18-inch wheels, the Citroën e-C4. Both cars share their platform with the Peugeot e-2008. Due to the configuration of the suspension, the 18-inch wheels may feel a bit too much when potholes are concerned.

Opel offers the Mokka-e with smaller wheels, the smallest in the range being 16-inch units, but 17-inch ones are also a possibility. While the 16-inch versions may make the Mokka look a bit strange when compared to the 18-inch ones, the 17-inch model might be just the right balance between looks, comfort, and performance. If you are interested in the best possible comfort and the lowest tire replacement cost, the smallest wheels in the range will be your best fit.

2021 Opel Mokka\-e
Photo: Ciprian Mihai, Bogdan Paraschiv
We drove the Mokka-e on a 225 km-long (139 mile) route that was mostly made up of roads that are outside of cities. The route even had a bit of highway driving to it as well, so it was the worst scenario for an electric vehicle. As a reference, the Opel Mokka-e has a WLTP average energy consumption of 17.4 kWh/100 km (62 miles).

We started the test drive with a 98 percent charge, which was supposed to be enough for 318 km (197 miles) of range according to the onboard computer. As a comparison, the official range estimate is a maximum of 324 km (301 miles).

After 217 km (134 miles) driven in the conditions described above (basically keeping up with traffic and checking out the acceleration whenever possible), we were left with a battery that had a 19 percent charge, which was supposed to last us another 48 km (29 miles).

Since we did not want to get stranded, we did not try to drive the rest of the way on the remaining charge, but it could have been done, which would have meant a theoretical 163 miles (262 km) of range. With a bit of hypermiling, those 48 km (29 miles) could have been turned into more, but we advise against this practice until you get to know your electric vehicle like the back of your hand.

Our registered energy consumption was 15.5 kWh/100 km, which is better than the average WLTP estimate for this vehicle, while the average speed was 60 kph (37 mph) for this route. We charged the Mokka-e at a DC station that was supposed to deliver up to 50 kWh, but it was limited to 22 kW. After an hour of charging, which we stopped at 81 percent, our remaining range was estimated at 250 km (155 miles).

The energy economy figures posted above are those shown by the vehicle's in-dash computer. We did not turn off any comfort features to try to get a better range, which meant the A/C was on for the whole trip. Its influence on range is modest, but it might make the difference if you want to squeeze the last two or three miles out of the charge.

The result is enough for a daily commute without having to charge every single day, while out-of-town trips are possible with just a bit more planning than a normal trip would require.
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Editor's note:

Our test drive of the Opel Mokka-e was part of an electric road trip with eight electric vehicles over eight days, called ROCHARGE by Vitesco Technologies. The point of the project was to test drive some of the latest electric vehicles on the market in real traffic conditions. 

About the author: Sebastian Toma
Sebastian Toma profile photo

Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland.
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