New Grandland SUV plug-in hybrid scores highly for range
The new Opel Grandland was featured recently in these pages after the Irish launch. The Grandland Electric is on sale now from €39,065 including grants, and the Grandland Hybrid with 48-volt technology from €40,995 plus delivery. They will soon to be joined by the powerful Grandland Plug-in Hybrid.
Ahead of the first units arriving in Ireland this summer, Opel tells us that the plug-in hybrid has undergone a range test that saw the brand’s flagship SUV model cover a total of 1,115km on just one tank filling combined with a fully charged battery. In real world driving, the official WLTP test cycle for the new Grandland Plug-in Hybrid gave a combined range of up to 897 kilometres, of which up to 87 kilometres are purely electric.
However, while the WLTP values are determined at temperatures of around 23 degrees Celsius, a new Grandland GS Plug-in Hybrid set off on a windy and rainy January morning at a fresh 11 degrees Celsius. Appropriate for the season, 19-inch winter tyres were fitted instead of summer tyres with lower rolling resistance, and the car was loaded with equipment in the level three GS trim. So overall, Opel’s test was done under conditions that are worse than in the official test cycle, albeit with very economical driving behaviour. The only set requirement was the SUV had a full tank, and the 17.9 kWh battery was fully charged. The drive continued until the fuel tank and battery were empty, 1,115km later.
With the combination of a 110 kW / 150hp 1.6-litre direct-injection turbo petrol engine and a 92 kW / 125hp electric motor, Opel says that the Grandland plug-in hybrid demonstrates a strength in terms of energy recovery and braking efficiency, designed to maximise efficiency and performance. The electric motor becomes a generator during overrun phases and converts braking energy into electricity. At the same time, the vehicle slows down automatically on slight downhill gradients and the 17.9 kWh battery is charged. I should mention that the Grandland can also take a towing capacity of up to 1,500kg.
Prices for the Grandland plug-in hybrid for the Irish market will be announced closer to launch. The new Opel Grandland Plug-in Hybrid with 143 kW (195 hp) system output, 350 Nm of maximum torque and a top speed of 220 km/h