As I climbed into the new Vauxhall Astra Electric hatchback for its global launch in Berlin this week, the official Latin motto of the Royal Air Force seemed appropriate.
Circumstances meant I would be the first – and so far only – UK journalist to drive it.
‘Per Ardua ad Astra’ – through adversity to the stars – pretty much summed up my experience and that of the Vauxhall team launching the car in the German capital along with their partners in Germany where it built and badged as an Opel.
Both brands are part of the giant Stellantis conglomerate which includes Peugeot, Citroen, Fiat, DS, and more.
Big premium: The new electric Astra entry-level price is £40,000 – that compared to under £27,000 for its current petrol version
However, the UK’s thunder and lightning deluge which on Monday accompanied the heatwave – along with a major NATO exercise in which the RAF was also taking part and which closed off critical airspace – conspired to see many flights suddenly cancelled and thousands of passengers’ plans thrown into chaos.
And that included the British Airways flight bringing nearly 30 of the UK’s leading motoring journalists to Berlin for the first drive of the new pure electric zero-emissions Astra. I should have been with them.
Yet by a stroke of good fortune, I was already in Berlin, having stayed in Germany following Porsche’s 75th anniversary in Stuttgart last Thursday.
So it was left just to me, alone, to fly the flag for the UK and drive Vauxhall’s latest new car which starts from a fraction under £40,000 as order books open today ahead of first deliveries in August.
This compares to an entry-level price of £26,810 for the current Vauxhall Astra petrol version – this means the electric version carries a 49 per cent premium.
Eighth generation: The Astra has sold more than 3.1m in the UK since launching in 1980
Ray’s verdict: Astra is a star
The new battery powered Astra Electric really is a star.
And along with petrol, plug in-hybrid variants (diesels are not available in the UK), it is the eight generation of the Astra which has sold more than 3.1million in the UK since launch in 1980.
For a start, it’ll really look the business on your driveway thanks to the sharp, svelte and distinctive styling with razor-like LED headlights by Briton Mark Adams who was there with me for the launch.
The interior is sharp and sensible and well laid out. You do not need a masters’ degree in touch-screen dynamics to work out how to put on the air-conditioning or change radio channels.
Pressing the button to fire up the front-wheel drive electric motor, I was off.
Behind the wheel: The interior is sharp and sensible and well laid out
The drive-set up will be familiar to owners of modern Peugeots and Citroens (fellow Stellantis siblings sharing technology) comprising a simple switch in the centre console to chose drive, park, reverse and so on.
You can also set your drive mode. While I did fleetingly try ECO, and had a short spell in Normal during a brief traffic jam, for most of the time I enjoyed being in more engaging Sport mode.
It’s smooth, quiet, and with only the merest hint of an electric hum to remind your senses that you are in a car.
You can’t fault its urban street credentials either. I drove extensively around busy central Berlin – taking in many major tourist attractions such as the Brandenburg Gate, the Berlin Wall, Reichstag parliament building, Alexanderplatz and also some wild and gritty parts of the city I’d never encountered before where cobblestones replaced tarmac.
Berlin dreamin’: I took the electric for a spin around the German capital – it’s an ideal city car
In this respect, the new upgraded and enhanced sat-nav system was brilliant and never put a foot wrong (and the one it replaces was pretty good too).
Along with the accompanying voice commands, it was also simple to follow, even when negotiating the most complex of junctions, road lay-outs, road-works, and turn-offs whether in town or on the motorway when the wrong split-second decisions can lead to long detours.
So well suited to the likes of London, Birmingham, Glasgow, or Cardiff.
The dulcet slow ‘plip-plop’ of the indicators was particularly soothing.
I’d heartily recommend paying the extra for the optional head-up display (which my car had fitted) which allows you to see in your line of sight not only the turn directions but also the prevailing speed limit.
It’s not only good around town – it’s a great cruising hatchback for family leisure trips.
To test this out I headed for the more relaxed areas beyond Berlin, to lakeside Wannsee, and over the infamous spy-swap Glienicke Bridge (as featured in the Tom Hanks real-life Cold War espionage movie ‘Bridge of Spies’) and into regal Potsdam with its green parks, palaces and glorious properties (and even its own German Hollywood-style movie district at Babelsberg).
Riding on 18-inch diamond cut alloy wheels, the Astra Electric has some pace too.
From a standing start it accelerates from rest to 62mph in 9.2 seconds, though this is misleading as it feels much quicker as it’s the early acceleration that gives you the edge.
Top speed is restricted to 106mph, which is more than required on UK roads – though having pushed it to the limit on a derestricted stretch of German Autobahn, where I should stress this is perfectly legal, I can tell you it is feels confident, stable, together and planted.
Range: The Astra can go 258 miles, according to Vauxhall
Power from the next generation 54kWh battery gives it a decent range of 258 miles and you can improve your energy efficiency with more judicious eco-friendly driving.
Charging takes just 30 minutes from a DC rapid charger (100kW); 5 hours and 45 minutes from an AC public wall charger (11kW); and 8 hours from an AC home wall-box (7kW).
Top of the range Ultimate models like mine come with a useful head-up display as standard, and there’s also voice control.
Ultimate models also have a panoramic roof.
The key thing that only struck me when I’d finished a full day with it out on the road was just how effortless it was to drive and how relatively refreshed I still felt. It was very intuitive.
A place for everything, and everything in its place. I didn’t have to spend stressful moments looking for well-hidden controls, or scrolling through complicated digital menus.
That was also helped by the comfortable power-adjustable driver’s seat approved by Germany’s AGR campaign for healthier backs.
For the tech and infotainment minded there’s Apple Car Play and Android Auto smartphone replication. There’s also the now obligatory ‘MyVauxhall’ app to help you find charging stations, offer weather forecasts, pre=prep your car and give advice.
And there are plenty of practical cubby holes and cup holders.
I also managed incredible efficiency, given that I drove for most of the time in more energy-consuming Sport mode. I did press the ‘B’ button to increase braking regeneration and allow me to barely touch the brakes.
Acoustic glass and extra door and boot seals help keep exterior noise to a minimum in an already quiet car where it will be more noticeable. And you can change the mood with ambient lighting.
Safety aids include advanced intelligent speed adaptation ,semi-automated lane change assist, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, speed sign recognition, driver drowsiness and blind-spot alert, and adaptive cruise control.
Prices in the UK start from £39,995 on the road for the GS trim and £43,110 for the higher spec Ultimate trim.
For those seeking to spread the costs over time, Vauxhall is also offering a 0 per cent three year PCP deal based on a minimum 30 per cent deposit (which on the entry level model comes to £12,000) and £259 per month for 36 months, with a 10,000 mile limit.
A Sports Tourer (estate) version to follow later this year.
And expect a sporty twin motor all-wheel drive Astra Electric at some point, as well as a self-charging hybrid.
Vauxhall says its complete line-up of cars will be fully electric from 2028 – seven years ahead of the Government’s deadline.
From 2024 an electrified variant will be offered for every model.
