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In a significant development for the UK electric car industry, Vauxhall has announced that the new Frontera Electric and new Frontera Hybrid will both be available at the same price, eliminating the price disparity that usually exists between electric and petrol versions of the same car for the first time in the UK car market.
The average list price difference across the market between an electric and petrol car is currently 31% – but with the new Frontera, electric and petrol hybrid versions will both start from £23,495 when orders open in Autumn.
The new Frontera Electric has a 44kWh battery delivering a range of 186 miles (WLTP provisional) and a 113hp electric motor. A 20-80% charge can be achieved in 26 minutes from a 100kW rapid charger. The Frontera Electric accelerates from 0-62mph in 12.1 seconds and on to a top speed of 87mph.
From next year, the Frontera Electric will also be available as a ‘Long Range’ version capable of up to 248 miles on a single charge (WLTP provisional).
Vauxhall’s Plug & Go offer, powered by Free2move Charge, in partnership with Octopus Energy, provides charging solutions. To simplify home charging, customers can choose a free Octopus Energy Ohme Pro wallbox and installation when buying online. This includes access to Intelligent Octopus Go, an energy tariff specifically for EV drivers, that charges an EV when it is cheapest and greenest, and guarantees a fixed six-hour window to charge at the cheapest rates overnight. Vauxhall customers can connect to Intelligent Octopus Go via the Octopus Energy app and tell Octopus how much to charge their vehicle, with Octopus automatically scheduling the charge for when energy is cheapest and greenest.
If no wallbox is required, customers also have the option to choose one year’s free charging credit at Tesco stores across the country.
To make public charging easier, all new Vauxhall electric vehicle customers also receive an Octopus Electroverse card, giving access to over 750,000 public chargers from different networks across the UK and Europe via a single account. Customers can choose a £675 credit with Octopus Electroverse through Plug & Go rather than the free wallbox or free charging at Tesco stores.
For added peace of mind, Plug & Go includes a battery warranty for eight years/100,000 miles and three years of roadside assistance as standard.
Measuring 4,380mm in length, the Frontera sits between the Mokka (4,151mm) and the new Grandland (4,650mm) in Vauxhall’s refreshed SUV line-up. Despite measuring the same length as an Astra hatchback, the new Frontera offers greater boot capacity with the rear seats down than an Astra Sports Tourer Electric (1,594 litres). With the rear seats up, the boot capacity is 460 litres.
The new Frontera will be available from launch with a choice of two trim levels: entry-level Design models, and GS models (from £25,895) which come with aerodynamic 17-inch alloy wheels, body-coloured bumpers and a silver skid plate. GS variants also feature a black roof with tinted rear windows and LED tail lights, along with power folding mirrors. Satellite navigation is included as standard, as is wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and wireless smartphone charging.
Further to the features offered on GS models, the optional Comfort Pack, available for £800, provides heated seats, a heated windscreen and a heated steering wheel, as well as roof rails with a 240kg load capacity.
One feature that the Frontera Electric misses out on is the optional seven-seat configuration available with the Hybrid GS models.
By the end of this year, all Vauxhall cars and vans will be available with a fully electric version.
James Taylor, Managing Director, Vauxhall, said: “Vauxhall is leading the way in democratising access to electric vehicles, whether through our Electric Streets campaign to accelerate on-street charging infrastructure, our latest PCP offers with equivalent monthly payments between electric and petrol models, or our affordable new special editions – the Corsa Electric YES Edition, Mokka Electric Griffin and Astra Electric Griffin. With the launch of the New Frontera, Vauxhall has eliminated the list price premium that often applies to electric vehicles, with both electric and petrol hybrid versions offered for an identical list price. At just £23,495, New Frontera Electric is a significant milestone in our mission to make electric mobility accessible for everyone across the UK.”
