Opel Rocks-e Won’t Appeal To Malaysians, Unless It’s For Driving Schools
The Opel Rocks-e doesn’t look very appealing to Malaysian customers… but what about driving schools?
Opel. Electric Vehicles. 2-seater cars. These are three things that Malaysians are not interested in at all. Yet that’s what we’re going to talk about today!
Opel has presented a new entry-level electric vehicle aimed at personal mobility for younger people. It’s the Opel Rocks-e. We don’t think it’s going to work well in Malaysia even if it’s rebadged and sold under some different name here. Unless of course, there’s a push for EV cars in driving schools.
The Rocks-e measures just 2.41m in length and only has space for 2-seats, but Opel has poured quite a bit of effort into its design, which is funky and functional.
You may be wondering what the appeal of the Opel Rocks-e is. Well, it’s aimed at the European market, so it’s not particularly adaptable to our market conditions. What they plan to do is to offer leasing packages that cost about the same as a monthly public transport pass. They’ll put the Rocks-e up for online order as well as through Opel dealers starting in Germany and build its popularity from there.
How small is the Opel Rocks-e?
The Opel Rocks-e is just 2.41m long and 1.39m wide. It makes the Perodua Kancil look gargantuan next to it. However, if you compare it to the Renault Twizy, the Rocks-e is actually a little bit bigger. And it has proper doors that shelter the occupants. In fact, the doors on the Rocks-e are part of the vehicle’s character, with one being front-hinged and the other being rear-hinged.
While small, the interior can accommodate people up to 1.9m tall. It also has about 63 litres of cargo space in the passenger footwell area. There’s also a hook for a large shopping bag to hang from.
What’s the Opel Rocks-e’s capabilities?
Opel says that the Rocks-e can do 75km of range thanks to its 5.5 kWh battery. It takes about 3.5 hours to fully charge and its 3m long charging cable is stored within the vehicle itself. It is maneuverable within tight city streets thanks to its turning circle of just 7.2m. The vehicle’s top speed is 45km/h and Opel says in Germany, it can be driven by younger folks with an “AM driving license”.
Germany AM Driving license details
Mopeds (including side cars) of a maximum speed of not more than 45km/h. Either with an electric motor or internal combustion engine of not more than 50cc or a maximum rated continuous power of up to 4 kW in the case of electric motors.
Motorcycles with a maximum speed of not more than 45 km/h or with an electric motor or internal combustion engine of not more than 50cc.
Tri-wheel mopeds and quad motorcycle, each having a maximum speed of not more than 45km/h and a displacement of not more than 50cc, or with a maximum net power of not more than 4kW in the case of an electric motor.
The unladen weight must not exceed 350kg, without the mass of the batteries in the case of electric vehicles.
The minimum age required for AM class is: 16 years
About the Author
Subhash Nair Written work on dsf.my. @subhashtag on instagram. Autophiles Malaysia on Youtube.
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