Just a few months after the Vauxhall Astra Electric launched with a eyebrow-raising price tag of £39,995, the addition of a new entry-level specification called Design has brought the electric hatchback’s starting price down to £37,795. That’s still £540 more expensive than its key rival the Volkswagen ID.3, but better than the original £2,740 price gap.
There doesn’t appear to be many trade-offs when it comes to kit, as the Astra Electric Design is still fitted with 18-inch alloy wheels, front and rear parking sensors, cruise control, LED headlights, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, keyless start, and Vauxhall’s Pure Panel infotainment setup which includes a 10-inch touchscreen and a 10-inch digital instrument display. That said, the base model does miss out on some goodies like the heated front seats and steering wheel, power folding mirrors, sports-style seats and Intelli-Drive 2.0 driver assistance tech found in pricier GS and Ultimate-spec models.
The 54kWh battery and 154bhp motor combo is unchanged though, with the Astra Electric Design offering the same range of up to 258 miles and a 100kW maximum charging speed that allows for a 20 to 80 per cent top-up in 26 minutes.
The Mokka Electric is now available in Design trim as well, reducing the compact electric SUV’s starting price from £38,985 down to £36,610. The entry-level Mokka Electric Design rides on 17-inch alloy wheels and features a seven-inch touchscreen and seven-inch driver’s display, plus rear parking sensors, a panoramic reversing camera and LED headlights, cruise control and driver drowsiness alert, among other safety kit.
However, you should know that this price is for the old version of the Mokka Electric, which has a range of 209 miles thanks to its 50kWh battery and 134bhp motor setup. An updated version of the Mokka Electric was unveiled in December 2022, but has still yet to go on sale in the UK. The revised Mokka Electric will use the same motor and battery as the Jeep Avenger, Fiat 600e and facelifted Peugeot E-2008, increasing the range by 20 per cent to 252 miles.
The base Design-spec versions of the Astra Electric and Mokka Electric are available to order now, with deliveries set to begin in January 2024.
The facelifted Corsa Electric is also available in Design trim, but only if you get the old 50kWh battery setup like the Mokka Electric. This particular version costs £32,445 and can cover 222 miles on a charge compared to the 248 miles offered by the long-range models with the larger 54kWh battery which start from £35,475.
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