Is this the fourth consecutive advertising vehicle I’ve driven?But if everyone felt calm, I wouldn’t think of driving anymore.
Of all the app cars we reviewed this year, some were good, while others were. . . Well, let’s say an urgent appointment with the chiropractor after I’m done with themArray
Maybe that’s why I’ve gotten ahead of the Opel Combo-e, as it would be the first European advertising vehicle I would drive this year.
The Combo has been Opel’s small van since its inception in 1986.
Not much bigger or longer than the maximum bread and butter cars, perhaps the most notable feature is the Opel logo on the grille, as most of our local population would assume that a van would come from Japanese, not European, manufacturers.
With its car front and square shape, there is no doubt what Array is, especially compared to the Japanese, who had shapes and frame lines more or less similar to those of other brands.
And if you think, didn’t you have diesel in the past, you’re right.
Previous iterations ran on internal combustion, and the Combo-e was launched only in August this year, being one of two Opel electric van offerings.
Let’s be fair here, if it were to avoid that next to you, minus the livery that has been implemented here, you would not look for a moment.
While Opel’s new design language is sharper and more angular, the Combo-e doesn’t seem to have gotten the full scope of the note.
With its softer lines and less explained folds, it would arguably not stand out from the crowd. Perhaps the maximum angular component of its design would be the lighting fixture group, with the LED strip in the sunlight hours working with lighting fixtures providing some resemblance to Opel’s new design language.
Although some may question this decision, what is the point of an advertising vehicle?
It is about helping a business in revenue generating activities such as transportation of goods, goods and documents and is rarely a platform for a manufacturer to showcase their newest novelties.
That said, whatever impression their low-key looks give you, it won’t matter once you start driving it. For what? Because I wouldn’t expect a pickup truck to look like this car.
Admittedly, this is a vehicle that you would drive exuberantly, as it absolutely defeats its purpose, but if you were blindfolded as a passenger, you would assume very well that you are in a car.
One of the first things I noticed was the way it was supplied with Michelin Primacy Four tyres, and it showed in the quiet drive. I never had to raise my voice for a verbal exchange or turn up the volume of the music to muffle ambient noise.
Along with a higher ride quality than some cars I’ve driven in, I was genuinely surprised at what the Combo-eArray reminds a car.
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The guiding sensation was indistinct at best, being soft and supercharged. However, the small turning radius of 5. 9 meters was welcome and, together with the gentle guidance, made low-speed maneuvers a painless affair.
A single electric motor draws its power from a 50 kWh battery, generating 134 hp and 260 Nm of torque that drives the front wheels to a single speed transmission, weighing 1,632 kg.
The race of the century is 9. 2 seconds, and given the throttle’s responsiveness, we have little explanation for why to doubt those numbers.
The most sensible speed is estimated at 150 km / h, and we have not approached those numbers, theoretically it is more than capable of overtaking the annoying lanes of the highway. Don’t ask us how we know that.
The maximum DC rate rate is 50 kW and, in our experience, it takes an hour to re-qualify a nearly empty battery.
While the claimed diversity is 293 kilometers, I was given about two hundred kilometers consistent with the load. Again, I didn’t drive it economically.
However, I achieved an overall average of 19 kWh/100 km, which within the declared power diversity of 18. 1 to 22. 7 kWh/100 km. If you can drive it with one foot soft enough, 250 kilometers according to the speed may be possible.
With 3. 9 cubic meters of load capacity, it is not the largest. But with its square shape and height of 1. 88 meters, the shipping area is much more than you think.
I even took six colleagues in the back on a short car trip. However, we would not recommend doing so unless it is mandatory, as there is no ventilation and it fills with air there.
The internal materials, an aggregate of plastics and black vinyl, are fundamental but sufficient.
Luckily, there are amenities like cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity (with decent speakers to boot) and automatic headlights and windows. The physical controls of the HVAC system, of the touch panels, were also welcome.
But the component of the interior is the garage area.
In addition to the usual glove compartment and door compartments, there are more compartments in front of the driver and passenger, enough space between the seats for your bag, and even a shelf-like area above for small pieces like documents. Really, congratulations to Opel for thinking of something like that.
Priced at $145,000, the Combo-e is the most affordable application vehicle, especially with the less expensive features touted by Chinese manufacturers.
Its diversity is also an issue, given how much it can be affected by charging, ambient temperature and driving style, but it’s not unusual for all electric advertising vehicles.
But thinking this way is counterintuitive to what the Combo-e represents. Of all the electric advertising cars tested in 2022, this is by far the best composite and comfortable of all.
Instead of feeling physically tired or beaten after a long car ride, I feel no other way than if I had driven a car.
Yes, electric advertising cars still have shortcomings. But when it comes to operating costs, they’re less expensive and require less maintenance and downtime.
There is no doubt that technological advances will vary, and all that is needed now is whether you and your company are in a position to take that step towards electric mobility.
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This article was first published in Motorist.