New Vauxhall Grandland Electric AWD offers hot-hatch pace with plenty of space
New dual-motor version of Vauxhall’s electric family SUV can do 0-62mph in 6.1 seconds, and features adaptive dampers
All-wheel drive in electric cars is nothing new, but the Vauxhall Grandland Electric AWD will be the brand’s first EV to feature dual motors to provide extra traction and security in slippery conditions. The added benefit of this is enough power to keep up with most hot hatches away from the lights.
The regular Vauxhall Grandland Electric uses a 210bhp electric motor to drive the front wheels only, however, the all-wheel-drive version will add another 110bhp e-motor to the rear for a combined 320bhp, plus 509Nm of torque.
All that power will propel the big family SUV from 0-62mph in 6.1 seconds, which is just a few tenths of a second behind a Volkswagen Golf GTI. If that’s still not quick enough for you, a new Vauxhall Grandland GSE that’ll probably pack a little extra punch is coming soon.
In the meantime, the Grandland Electric AWD will offer drivers four drive modes: Normal, Eco, Sport and AWD, which adjust the power output, steering and throttle settings, traction control plus determine where the rear e-motor is only used in certain situations to maximise efficiency, or continuously for maximum stability.
Vauxhall has also fitted the Grandland Electric AWD with frequency-selective damping technology, which can adapt to different road surfaces and driving styles, plus sportier-looking front and rear bumpers, and 20-inch rims.
The Grandland Electric AWD uses the same 73kWh battery as the single-motor variant we’ve currently got on our long-term test fleet, with the additional e-motor only dropping the car’s official range from 330 to 311 miles. The 100kW maximum charging speed is the same, too, which means a 10 to 80 per cent top-up takes 30 minutes.
The new Vauxhall Grandland Electric AWD will go on sale this autumn, with prices likely to start from close to £40,000. For context, the regular Grandland Electric is available from around £36,500.
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