Stellantis Joins BEV Price War With British Budget Model

Stellantis is joining the battery-electric price war with its British Vauxhall brand launching a budget entry-level version of its all-electric Mokka compact crossover.

It reveals this week the special edition Mokka Electric Griffin that shaves £7,115 ($8,938) off the sticker price of the previous cheapest Design trim model to retail at £29,495 ($37,053) with taxes paid. With its sister brand, Opel, not following suit so far it suggests the U.K. BEV market is facing a stiffer challenge from consumers caught in a cost-of-living crisis than in markets within the European Union.

Griffin trim features a contrasting black roof and tinted rear windows alongside 17-in. silver alloy wheels. Customers also can choose from the full Mokka exterior color palette, including metallic paint, at no extra cost, saving up to £700 ($879). Inside, a flat-bottomed leather-effect steering wheel is employed, while parking aids include a panoramic rear-view camera and rear sensors.

The Mokka Electric Griffin is powered by a 50-kWh lithium-ion battery providing a claimed range of up to 209 miles (336 km) on the WLTP assessment, paired with an electric motor producing 134 hp and 192 lb.-ft. (260 Nm) of torque. Speed of charging claims a 0%-80% charge taking just 30 minutes on a 100-kW rapid DC charger. Alternatively, a 0%-100% charge will take seven-and-a-half hours using a domestic 7-kW wallbox.

Interior technology includes Vauxhall’s Multimedia Pure Panel infotainment system with a 7-in. (18-cm) color touchscreen compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus a 7-in. digital instrument cluster. There’s also Vauxhall Connect, enabling drivers to schedule charging remotely and precondition the vehicle’s cabin temperature.

Driver-assistance technology includes lane-departure warning with lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition, driver drowsiness alert, cruise control and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection.