Opel to introduce Manta as pure EV model by mid-2020s; line-up to be fully electric in Europe by 2028

As part of its electrification thrust, Opel will be extending its zero emissions product range with the return of the Manta nameplate on a fully electric model in the mid-2020s, the automaker revealed in a video as part of the Stellantis EV Day presentation.

Dubbed the Manta e, Opel’s forthcoming electric model takes on a coupé-SUV shape in place of the original Manta two-door coupé body that wore the conventional three-box silhouette, which in fact was closer to that of the Manta GSe ElektroMOD, a one-off, purely electric 147 PS/225 Nm encore of the 1970s original – one that retains its manual gearbox.

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The brand has even set its sights on fully electric motorsport; it unveiled Corsa-e Rally fully electric rally car in 2019, ahead of the Opel e-Rally Cup, set to be the world’s first electric one-make rally series to take place this year.

In addition to its nine electrified models introduced this year, Opel will have its entire product line-up electrified in some form by 2024; by 2028, it will become a purely electric brand in Europe, which Opel CEO Michael Lohscheller said demonstrates the brand’s commitment to electric mobility. “We are heading towards a net-zero CO2 future, as CO2 is the new currency in our industry,” he said.

Further afield, the brand will be making its re-entry into the China market with a fully electric line-up. “We promised that Opel will go global, and we will deliver. China is the largest automotive market in the world and we are sure that we will grow profitably there,” said Lohscheller.