The sixth New Mobility Rally proved it impressively: not only is the future of Opel electric, the present is already electrified. Whether it’s a pure electric car, a plug-in hybrid or a hydrogen fuel cell – Opel was the only manufacturer to put all three drive variants on the track. For the manufacturer with the lightning bolt, there were: the Mokka-e, the Astra Sports Tourer plug-in hybrid and the Vivaro-e HYDROGEN. Start and finish was the SAP headquarters in Walldorf. In between: 150 kilometers through Swabian terrain with special stages, obstacles and knowledge questions.
Here we go: Opel manager Dr. Lars Peter Thiesen takes the time for the first special stage, a target time stage.
Three electrified variants: the Vivaro-e HYDROGEN, the Astra Sports Tourer plug-in hybrid and the Mokka-e were at the start.
“We show how versatile and suitable for everyday use electromobility already is today.”
– dr Lars Peter Thiesen –
“We show how versatile and suitable for everyday use electromobility already is today,” says Dr. Lars Peter Thiesen. The Opel manager was at the start in the Vivaro-e HYDROGEN together with Gerd Stegmaier, Head of Digital at Motor Presse Stuttgart. While the fuel cell – fed from the hydrogen tanks in the underbody – drove the electric motor, Dr. Lars Peter Thiesen and Gerd Stegmaier the special stages. “And the Vivaro-e HYDROGEN,” says Thiesen, “was absolutely confident and reliable.” A highlight: the slalom route. The participants had to circle their vehicles around a cone course in exactly 20 seconds. The timed time of the hydrogen LCV with flash: 20.02 seconds.
Power plant on wheels: The Vivaro-e HYDROGEN is the first hydrogen LCV on the road.
Excellent prospects: The Astra Sports Tourer plug-in hybrid is also a pioneer – it is the first electrified station wagon from Rüsselsheim.
It doesn’t get any greener: The Mokka-e, the popular battery-electric compact SUV, completes the trio.
Start and finish was the headquarters of the software group SAP in Walldorf.
The New Mobility Rally is organized by “auto motor und sport”.
Meanwhile, the Opel Social Media colleagues Julia Jungblut and Daniel Vogt showed their skills in the time trial: a 30 meter long distance had to be covered in exactly 7 seconds. They had calculated the average speed required for this, rolled over the section in the Mokka-e at 15.6 km/h – and the plan worked: They took 1st place in the test. In general, things went very well for the team in the pure Stromer.
Social media colleagues report live
After 150 kilometers and a dozen tests, second place would have been possible – “if we had crossed the finish line on time,” says Julia Jungblut. But the colleagues missed the deadline. And with good reason: you provided the Opel Instagram community with photos, videos and insights live from the event all day long. You can lose track of time there. There was no reason to sulk anyway: “It was much more important to experience how much fun electric driving is,” says Daniel Vogt, “and to share the experience with as many people as possible.”
Full commitment: The social media team with Daniel Vogt provided the Opel Instagram community with photos, videos and insights live from the event.
“It was great to experience how much fun electric driving can be.”
– Daniel Vogt –
Opel communications manager Axel Seegers and car journalist Heiko Wacker drove Opel vehicle number 3, the Astra Sports Tourer plug-in hybrid, through the Swabian countryside – confidently but without stress. Whether slalom, acceleration tests, time trials, target time stages or knowledge questions: The rally was not about being the fastest, but about demonstrating how suitable for everyday use and diverse, emission-free driving already is today. And at this point, the #TeamOpel has set a clear exclamation mark with three drive variants.
October 2022
Photos: Opel