E-mobility | Facts & Advantages

Small, compact, powerful

Lithium-ion batteries are the heart of our electric cars. They are particularly powerful and have the highest energy density compared to other batteries. This means that they can store the most energy per kilogram of battery. Lithium-ion batteries have numerous advantages: due to their compact size, more individual lithium-ion batteries fit in your Opel electric car. So you can travel further. They also require less energy to cool the vehicle battery to its optimal operating temperature.

Also good to know: our batteries are not affected by the so-called "memory effect". You can recharge your electric vehicle battery as often as you like - even through mobile fast charging - without any loss of performance.

Lifespan of lithium-ion-batteries

Independent studies estimate that you can drive 250,000, even up to 500,000 km with the battery of an electric car¹. The durability of our batteries is therefore probably on a par with that of our combustion engines. That's why we give an 8-year guarantee on our electric car batteries, or 160,000 km of driving. And should there be a reason for complaint, your car will be ready for use again in no time at all. Your Opel partner can easily replace a lithium-ion battery.

¹ The average value applied in this study assumes a service life of 250,000 km. Read the article in English here: https://www.oliver-krischer.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/English_Studie.pdf

Charging cycles

There are many ways to charge your Opel electric car. At a public fast charging station¹, it can be charged up to 80% within 30 minutes. With the numerous other charging solutions, you can determine charging cycles individually - choose between the single or three-phase wallbox (7.4 or 11 kW).

Fortunately, the trusty household socket (1.8 kW) is available everywhere. The power-optimised Green up socket from Legrand (3.7 kW) even offers twice the charging speed (approx. 20 km range per hour charging time²).

¹ Theoretical value calculated on the basis of 337 km WLTP range. At a DC charging station (100 kW). Corresponds to charging an empty battery. The charging time may vary depending on the type and power of the charging station, the outside temperature and the battery temperature.

² Value refers to the Corsa-e. The charging time depends, among other things, on the power of the on-board charger (OBC) integrated in the vehicle, the charging cable and the type and power of the charging station.

Capacity

To be really precise, each electric car has two batteries: one that's responsible for the drive. And an additional 12-volt battery that is responsible for starting, central locking, interior lights, instruments - just like any combustion engine. The energy of the 12-volt battery keeps the car operational even after about six weeks of standstill.

Production costs of batteries

The manufacturing costs of lithium-ion batteries have fallen sharply in recent years. While the price was still 600 euros per kilowatt hour in 2010, a price reduction to around 83 euros per kilowatt hour is forecast by 2025¹. This is one of the reasons why our electric cars have also become more affordable in recent years. In combination with the environmental bonus, you currently benefit from a price that is comparable to that of an Opel with an internal combustion engine.

¹ You can find more information in English about lithium battery price developments here : https://www.statista.com/chart/23807/lithium-ion-battery-prices/

¹ Theoretical value, calculated based on up to 337 km WLTP*** range. At a DC fast charger (100 kW). Reflects charging from empty. The charging time may vary according to the type and power of the charging station, the outside temperature at the charging point and the battery temperature.

Battery maintenance

When your electric car is serviced by your Opel Partner, they check the battery, the charging connection, the chargers and all cable connections. So you don't have to take care of the battery maintenance yourself.

Important for you: You will be provided with an official battery certificate confirming the maximum capacity of the battery. This certificate is an integral part of the resale value of your car.

Replacing the battery

Changing the battery of an electric car is a quick job for your Opel Partner: first the battery is removed from the underbody before a new one is inserted. All done in about five minutes.

Battery warranty

Our electric cars come with a battery guarantee of 8 years or 160,000 km - for at least 70% of the original charge capacity after this time or distance. The battery certificate is completed at every inspection. So you get a good price when you want to sell your electric car later on.

¹ Theoretical value, calculated based on up to 337 km WLTP*** range. At a DC fast charger (100 kW). Reflects charging from empty. The charging time may vary according to the type and power of the charging station, the outside temperature at the charging point and the battery temperature.

² Value applies to Corsa-e. The charging time depends in particular on the power of the charger on board the vehicle, the charging cable and the type and power of the charging station used. Official energy consumption according to WLTP (combined) 16.5 - 16.8 kWh/100 km; official CO₂ emission according to NEDC 0 g/km; range (combined) 328km to 337km (depending on equipped options). Efficiency class according to WLTP.

Battery recycling

After eight to twelve years of use, batteries can only be charged to 70-80%. They are then replaced and the old batteries are prepared for a second life. Second life can mean several things, for example, reconditioned electric car batteries that store electricity from voltaic systems and feed it back into the grid when needed.

The batteries are only recycled after their second life. Alternatively, many of the discarded batteries can be connected together to form a kind of block battery to act as buffer storage for wind power and solar parks.

Sustainability

At Opel, sustainability begins with the procurement of raw materials and production. Compliance with all environmental standards is a matter of course for us. Through high-quality production, handling tips and regular maintenance, we ensure a long battery life spans.

We recondition used electric car batteries as often as possible to keep our ecological carbon footprint to a minimum. At the end of their first life cycle, the batteries are reconditioned so that they can be used a second time. Only then do we take care of efficient recycling of the raw materials. You see - at Opel we do everything we can to keep the environmental impact of electric batteries as low as possible.

Battery disposal

You don't have to worry about the disposal of your electric car battery. Because we always test the battery's capacity during regular maintenance, we have an accurate view of when it is time to replace - or even dispose of - the battery.

Manufacture

For their production, electric vehicles need more technology metals than other vehicles. Lithium and cobalt in particular are important raw materials for the batteries. That is why we are working to reduce the demand for raw materials - through production advances, greater material efficiency and, last but not least, increased recycling.

Components and properties

Lithium has the highest electrochemical potential of all metals, which is why lithium-ion batteries offer by far the highest energy density of all metal-air systems. This has numerous advantages for the electric car, because the higher the energy density, the lighter the battery - with the same amount of stored energy.

An electric battery weighs between 200 and 700 kg. The amount of energy density therefore has a direct influence on handling and consumption. By the way: the gravimetric energy density is given in kilowatt hours per kilogram (kWh/kg).

Development

In order to make us less dependent on suppliers in the future, a Gigafactory is being built at our engine and components plant in Kaiserslautern: the largest battery production plant in Germany. Together with a plant in northern France, we will produce one million batteries a year here from 2024.

Which batteries are used in electric cars?

Lithium-ion batteries are installed in our electric cars. Our declared goal is to produce high-quality and at the same time affordable batteries. We also pay special attention to the sustainability factor. Compared to conventional production, we will install batteries with a lower CO₂ footprint in our Gigafactory.

How much does an electric car battery cost?

Despite constantly falling costs, the battery is still the most expensive component of an electric car. The production costs of our batteries are around €6,000. Nevertheless, in combination with the environmental bonuses and attractive leasing rates, an electric car really is an affordable option.

How long does an electric car battery last?

Lithium-ion batteries have a service life of about 8-12 years. In that time, around 1500 to 2500 charging cycles can be expected. The capacity decreases with age to 70 to 80 percent of the original value. This depends on the charging method, the number of charging cycles and also the driving style. Opel gives a battery guarantee of 8 years or at least 160,000 km.

How are batteries disposed of?

Electric car batteries lose charging capacity over time. But that doesn't mean they become unusable. At Opel, we give every battery a "second life". They are only recycled once that’s over.