Vauxhall Mokka-e

The Mokka-e is probably the most normal electric car we’ve ever driven...

Andrew Walker

Now part of the Stellantis Group, Vauxhall is benefitting from the shared resources that the company has poured into electric vehicles. The Corsa-e was the brand’s first electric car and it was recently joined by the larger Mokka-e, which CC&V spent some time in recently.

Launched alongside the petrol version of the Mokka, the electric version is offered as a SE Nav Premium, Elite Nav Premium or SRI Nav Premium. All are powered by the same 50kWh battery, with 136PS of power on tap and 220Nm.

The entry Mokka-e, the SE Nav Premium, costs £33,040. As an entry level model, it comes well equipped, with a 7” colour touchscreen with SatNav, Apple CarPlay/ Android Auto, electronic climate control, ECO LED headlights and cruise control with intelligent speed limiter.

The electric power tops out at 136hp in Sport mode – but this mode reduces battery range. Normal mode is best for everyday driving, while Eco mode pushes the battery range to the limit.

Charging

Zero to full on a 7kWh home charger takes 7.5 hours. We have a Rolec 7kWh charger at the office (http://www.rolecserv.com/

TECH DATA

Vauxhall Mokka-e Elite Nav Premium

Price: £32,080 after PiCG CO2: 0 g/km Power: 50kWh battery BIK: 1 % 0-60mph: 8.7 seconds

home-charging) and it really takes the hassle out of owning an electric vehicle. Drive, return, plug-in, repeat. AYou’ll soon get the hang of where to charge publicly and some of these are actually free, Podpoint at Tesco for example.

We recently signed up to Octopus Go, which reduces the cost of charging to just 5p a kWh between 12.30 am and 04.30 am. Typical daytime rates are 13p a kWh while many public charge points cost over 20p a kWh, so spend some time researching and looking for a specialist electricity provider for home, as this is great way to keep fuel costs down.

It’s well worth noting that you can preprogramme the Mokka-e via your Smart Phone to charge in the night. You can also do this via the touchscreen EV menu inside the car and the timer button inside the fuel cap. At 5p a kWh it costs just £2.50 to get the Mokka-e fully charged and with a range of 180 miles in our real world test, that is an absolute bargain and up to 80% less than the cost of driving 180 miles in a petrol Mokka.

Interior

Inside, the Mokka-e takes its cue from the Corsa-e. Vauxhall has kept the dashboard traditional, with a largish steering wheel and physical climate buttons, rather than the fiddly on screen offering you’ll find inside the interiors of the Peugeot e-208 and e-2008.

The cabin itself is nicely laid out and it’s easy to get comfortable. The touchscreen is simple to use and access to your phone and various modes is via switches on the steering wheel.

There’s plenty of room for driver and front seat passenger. Rear headroom is fine but rear leg room is tight and there’s really only enough room in the back for two adults. Cabin storage is decent, with four door pockets, a sizeable glove box, under armrest space and drinks holder. The batteries are located under the floor, so passenger room is unaffected. However, the battery space does impact on luggage space, reducing it by 310 litres.

Driving

The Mokka-e is probably the most normal electric car we’ve ever driven. That sounds like damning by faint praise, but it isn’t. We spent a week in its company and it’s very easy to like.

While we couldn’t match Vauxhall’s claimed range of 201 miles from fully charged, we would say that 180 miles is definitely possible. Hit the motorway and drive at 70mph in Eco mode and that will fall to around 140 miles. The regeneration of battery power, which is easier when driving around town, really does make a difference and the city is where the Mokka-e performs best.

It also handles smoothly and is pretty good to drive on winding B roads, despite the presence of those heavy batteries. However, rough roads sent vibrations through the 17” alloy wheels, just as in the Corsa-e and Peugeot e-208. It’s plainly an issue caused by the battery location, which is the same across all of the PSA electric model range.

Pros and cons

For fleet managers and company car drivers alike, there’s a lot to be pleased about on the Mokka. It looks modern, features the most up to date safety and tech and all models are priced at under £35,000.

The really good news is the Mokka-e comes with a BIK of 1% and you’ll pay virtually nothing for your company car in tax year 2021/22. If you’re opting out of your company’s car scheme you also get the government grant, currently £2,500, off the car’s asking price, as the Mokka-e qualifies in Category One for the subsidy.

Negatives are minor. Rear passenger space is a bit tight, and that rough ride over poor roads is annoying. It’s perhaps a little conservative to drive... but that’s about it.

It’s not exciting but for all that, we enjoyed our week in the Mokka-e and we think it’s the best looking small EV currently out there. Taken as a company car with the related savings you can make on tax and fuel, and it’s definitely worth a look for fleet managers and end users.

You can make mine a tasty Mokka-e

CC&V VERDICT

Conservative to drive but overall it is a stylish SUV with a near 200-mile range. What’s not to like? CC&V RATING: N N N N