the new electric cars in pictures

The Brussels Motor Show is full of new electrical products. Follow us for a visit, to discover the Abarth 500e, Audi Q8 e-tron, Dacia Spring Extreme, Opel Astra Electric…

Are the major motor shows over? No, some put up a good resistance, like in Brussels. Open from January 14 to 22, the Belgian show is full of brands. They’re all there too, or almost (Mercedes just isn’t among the big names). We almost had the impression of old times touring the well-appointed pavilions, after getting used to visiting shows with a very light program, like the last Paris Motor Show.

If Brussels is an exception, it is because this show weighs heavily on car sales in Belgium. Not showing up means risking lost customers! But the event does not center itself on the Belgian market, it has a European scope. So this is the scene of several world and European premieres.

If you live not far from the Belgian border, it’s worth the trip. To inspire you, we went for a preview visit to show you the main new electrical products at the show.

500th Abarth

First public outing for the Abarth 500e. You guessed it, this is the sporty version of the new electric Fiat 500, and therefore the first connected Abarth. Engine power increased from 118 to 154 hp. It may seem modest compared to the thermal Abarths, but the brand promises better acceleration and therefore unprecedented vitality for the 500. It’s a shame the look isn’t more personalized, even if the 18-inch rims are nice. The 42 kWh battery does not move, the range is around 300 km.

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Audi Q8 e-tron

Audi’s first electric model is changing its name. No longer e-tron, but Q8 e-tron, a way to further position it in the range now that Audi has another electric SUV. The front face has evolved with a new grille, which includes a light bar. It features the new Audi logo, with flat rings. Restyling is mainly an opportunity to install larger batteries in the gut. Depending on the model, the autonomy increases by up to 40%. So, the 55 variant with a 106 kWh (net) battery flirts with 600 km.

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Dacia Spring Extreme

Spring arrives in Brussels with a new finish, which replaces the Expression level. It benefits from some new stylistic elements, such as topographic patterned stripping and bronze-brown painted details. But the real change is under the hood: the Extreme has a new, more powerful engine: the power goes from 45 to 65 hp. Enough to ensure better acceleration and recovery. No change for the battery, the range in the combined WLTP cycle only loses 10 km, up to 220 km. This model costs 22,300 €.

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Jeep Avengers

Unveiled at the Paris Motor Show, the Jeep Avenger is the star of the show. In fact, it received the prestigious title of Car of the Year 2023 in Brussels, awarded by a jury of European journalists. The model is ahead of its competitors! The Avenger is Jeep’s first all-electric model, an urban SUV (it’s even shorter than the Clio). It receives the new technical elements of urban/compact electric cars from Stellantis, ie a 156 hp block and a 54 kWh battery, which provides a range of 400 km. Order books are open in France.

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Lexus RZ450e

Long resisting rechargeable electrified models, Lexus clearly cannot stand in front of the changing automotive market, especially in Europe. After putting a wheel in the electric market with the trendy UX version, he launched the RZ 450e, his first electric car designed on a dedicated basis. It is shared with the Toyota BZ4X. required by premium positioning, Lexus is distinguished by higher power, with 313 hp (against 218 in Toyota). But the battery is the same, with a rather tight capacity, 71.4 kWh. The autonomy is therefore a notch below the competition, with just over 400 km.

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Mazda MX-30 R-EV

World premiere for Mazda in Brussels. The manufacturer has developed a new rechargeable hybrid version of the MX-30, which until now is 100% electric. The technical assembly is original: a 170 hp electric unit always provides traction alone. But it is now associated with a rotary gasoline engine that serves as a range extender. Thanks to the 17.8 kWh battery, you can do 85 km in 100% electric (WLTP mixed cycle), then 50 liters of fuel adds 600 km of autonomy. The MX-30 thus becomes more versatile, the 100% electric version is limited to 200 km of autonomy.

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Vauxhall Astra Electric

While the Peugeot e-308 has yet to show itself, Opel has arrived in Brussels with the Astra Electric, announced as a world premiere. On the outside, there is no change, or at least we see new rims, with proper aero. The novelty is of course in the gut, with the new Stellantis electric block of 116 kW, or 156 hp. The battery has a total capacity of 54 kWh. According to the mixed WLTP standard, the range is 416 km. The electric Astra will be offered as a sedan and station wagon.

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Polestar 3

European premiere for 3, the first SUV of Polestar, which can finally be launched in the French market, the legal dispute between this brand and Citroën has been closed. The 3 is a nice baby, 4.90 meters long, but it’s quite low, almost making it look like a big station wagon. Launched with two engines, the 3 offers 489 hp, or even 517 hp in the Performance version. In both cases, we have a 111 kWh battery, which provides up to 610 km of autonomy in the combined WLTP cycle.

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Subaru Solterra

The Solterra is Subaru’s first electric model. Does this remind you of anything? Normally, it is a quasi-copy of the Toyota bZ4X. The Subaru version is distinguished by the grille and shield. This model is offered in a four-wheel drive version, with two motors for a maximum combined power of 218 hp. The battery has a capacity of 71.4 kWh, for a range of up to 466 km (mixed WLTP). However, like Toyota, this Subaru is slow to arrive in France, with prices still unknown.

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