This Opel nameplate marked the brand’s early move into mainstream electrification in Europe. Introduced for the 2012 model year and sold from late 2011, it was Opel’s first production electric car with range-extender technology, combining battery-only driving with a gasoline generator for longer trips. That made it especially significant at a time when most electric cars were still limited in range or were viewed as experimental. The model’s design and concept positioned it as a forward-looking, premium compact rather than a conventional hatchback, and it stood out for offering genuine everyday usability together with long-distance flexibility.
The vehicle quickly became one of Opel’s most talked-about modern cars. It won the 2012 European Car of the Year award, reflecting how strongly the concept resonated with journalists and buyers. In Opel’s electric-car history, it became a milestone model: a practical demonstration that battery-electric commuting and broader travel needs could be combined in a single mainstream product. Production ended in 2015, closing a relatively short but influential run. The nameplate was later succeeded by a different, fully battery-electric Opel model carrying a related but distinct badge, so this entry refers only to the original range-extender car and not its successor.