Rüsselsheim, Germany, August 25, 2021 — The German carmaker Opel, part of Stellantis Group, announces new EV (electric vehicle) “Rocks-e,” primarily aimed at young drivers but also other niche drivers. Opel states the new model will have a range of 75 kilometers, can be charged with a regular consumer power socket, and offers space for two people, luggage volume of up to 63 liters in the passenger footwell, and hooks for jackets, bags, or similar items.
Opel says that the new Rocks-e car model is the beginning of their Sustainable Urban Mobility (SUM) program. The Rocks-e is aimed to close the gap between scooters and a regular passenger car. As per Opel’s plans, the option to order a Rocks-e will start in the Fall in Germany, and other markets will follow in 2022.
Opel Rocks-e is the electric start for young mobile people
While no exact price for the Rocks-e has been communicated as of now, Opel says that “the entry-level price for the new Opel Rocks-e in Germany will be clearly less than for a small car and the monthly leasing cost will be similar to that of a ticket for local public transportation.” So they are attacking the alternative for young people of using buses and trains rather than other means of individual transportation. For more information and a 3D view, you can also check the Rocks-e website, which is currently only available in German.
In Germany, the age for being able to get a license to drive a regular car is with 18 years. There are limited types of licenses that let young people operate low-speed vehicles, though, starting at the age of 15, for vehicles that don’t exceed a power of 6 kW, have no more than two seats, and can drive with a maximum speed of 45 km/h (roughly 28 mp/h). So this is where the Opel Rocks-e would be good for, and it could provide an additional three years of mobility to teenagers before they could opt for a car that could go faster.
Depending on regional laws, this vehicle might also serve other niches of drivers, such as disabled people or the elderly, if they are not legally allowed to operate regular vehicles. Due to the reduced speed limit, this vehicle is unlikely to become attractive for urban delivery services or similar activities, which is something that made the Smart car and other models of this size popular in some niches.
Technical specifications of the Opel Rocks-e
- Length: 2.41 m
- Width: 1.39 m (without exterior mirrors)
- Weight: 471 kg (incl. traction battery)
- Range: 75 km (WLTP)
- Max. speed: 45 km/h (~28 mp/h)
- Wheels: 14″
- Turning circle: 7.2 m
- Battery: 5.5 kWh
- Charging time: 3.5 h
- Charging cable length: 3 m
- Seats: 2 (comfortable for people up to 1.9 m tall)
- Luggage volume: 63 l
“Our new Opel Rocks-e is uncompromising in every respect. The design is bold and pure, the dimensions are extremely compact. Our SUM drives purely on electricity, and the price is unbeatable. The Rocks-e enables smart and functional electric mobility for everyone and will attract a lot of attention”, says Opel’s head of sales and marketing, Stephen Norman. “Opel is simply ‘menschlich’ (human) and approachable – the Rocks‑e delivers further proof.”
Photo credit: All images shown are owned by Opel and were provided as part of a press release.
Source: Opel press release
