Vauxhall Grandland Electric adds 321bhp AWD option
Vauxhall has expanded its Grandland Electric line-up with a new range-topping all-wheel-drive variant.
The imaginatively named Grandland Electric AWD is the first AWD all-electric model from Vauxhall and adds a smaller motor to the rear axle to supplement the 210bhp front-mounted unit used in other versions.
The two motors give a combined output of 321bhp and 375lb ft and mean Vauxhall’s largest family SUV can get from 0-62mph in just 6.1 seconds, making it the fastest Vauxhall on sale.
The system is the same two-motor arrangement used in the new Peugeot E-3008 Dual Motor and gives Vauxhall a direct competitor with all-wheel-drive versions of the Ford Explorer.
To maximise the two-motor arrangement, the new Grandland gets four unique driving modes. AWD mode uses bespoke settings for the stability and traction control systems, and operates both motors continuously to evenly distribute full power between all four wheels. In normal power is limited to 313bhp and maximum torque to 332lb ft, with the rear motor activated and deactivated depending on demand. Sport mode uses both motors continuously, with power distributed 60:40 between the front and rear axles and a ‘sporty’ pedal and steering response. Eco mode effectively deactivates the rear motor and offers 212bhp unless the driver is particularly heavy with the throttle, when the rear motor reactivates.
As well as an additional motor and new drive modes, the new AWD Grandland gets frequency selective dampers for the first time for a better ride in a broader range of conditions. It also gets cosmetic and aerodynamic enhancements that make it the most aerodynamically-efficient Grandland model.
Like the rest of the Grandland Electric range, the AWD uses a 73kWh battery. In its most efficient mode this will return a range of 311 miles – 11 miles less than the two-wheel-drive version.
The new Grandland Electric AWD will go on sale in early autumn, with first customer deliveries in late autumn. Pricing hasn’t been announced, but expect it to start at more than the current range-topper, the Grandland Ultimate, which is priced from £38,455.
