Opel unveils new styling direction with electric SUV

Opel has previewed a five-door all-electric compact SUV, the Opel GT X Experimental.

The SUV is expected to showcase the company’s future designs from around the mid-2020s.

“It gives a clear idea of how we at Opel see the mobility of the future,” Opel chief executive officer Michael Lohscheller says.

Opel plans to offer an electrified version of each of its models by 2024.

The GT X Experimental has a 50kWh battery and includes Level 3 autonomous driving functions – meaning it can handle all aspects of driving but the driver must be able to respond to a request to intervene.

It’s built on a lightweight architecture, has a reduced footprint and drives on 17-inch wheels that look much larger to maximise road comfort but seem stunning too.

Rear-hinged rear doors and all four doors opening wide to 90 degrees are designed for good access.

Small cameras embedded in the yellow graphic lining the sides of the bonnet pop out, replacing the exterior mirrors.

Cropped triangles are engraved along the sill under the driver’s side rear door – one of them contains a small, hexagonal LED screen that shows the electric charge level of the battery.

It’s driven from the front axle.

A big digital instrument panel sweeps across the car, incorporating an infotainment system, while a panoramic windscreen/roof reaches to the rear seats.

Opel has 156 years of industrial existence starting with precision mechanics and almost 120 years of automobile engineering.