Vauxhall continues the electrification of its product portfolio with the all-electric, flagship variant of the Vivaro Life, which is available with up to nine seats and in two lengths. Most versions of the Vivaro-e Life are less than 1.90 metres high and can therefore access typical underground garages – important for hotel shuttles. The option of a trailer hitch enables the Vivaro-e Life to tow trailers with a maximum capacity of 1,000kg.

Vauxhall says that with 100kW of power (134 bhp) and 192 ft lb of maximum torque from the electric propulsion system, the Vivaro e Life offers higher performance than most electric multi-purpose vehicles (MPV).

The battery consists of 18 modules. This is packaged under the load compartment where it makes no compromises on luggage volume. The battery further lowers the centre of gravity, which benefits cornering and wind stability while also making travelling more enjoyable.

A regenerative braking system, which recovers the energy produced under braking or deceleration, further increases efficiency.

Via wall box, fast charging or even a cable for charging from a domestic plug socket if necessary, every Vivaro-e Life is ready for a variety of charging options. The offer of cables and wall boxes varies according to the energy infrastructure of each market, ensuring that Vivaro-e Life customers can find and make use of a charging station almost anywhere.

Using 100kW of direct current (DC), it takes around only 30 minutes for the 50kWh battery to reach 80 per cent state-of-charge. The battery is covered by an eight-year/100,000 mile warranty. The Vivaro-e Life features a single-phase 7.4kW on-board charger as standard, with a three-phase 11kW on-board charger available as an option.

“Vauxhall Connect”, the “myVauxhall” app and “Free2Move Services” – the mobility brand of Groupe PSA – offer special solutions for all Vauxhall electric vehicles, including the Vivaro-e Life. The services are accessible via apps.

The “Charge My Car” function from the “Free2Move Services” app enables access to more than 140,000 charging points throughout Europe, including payment. To make it easier for customers to choose the right charging point, the “Free2Move Services” app makes a preselection based on the distance to the charging point, the charging speed and the current charging price of the possible public charging options.

With the “Vauxhall Connect” e-remote control functions, customers can use their smartphones to check the battery’s state-of-charge or programme air conditioning and charging times. In addition, the “Vauxhall Connect” portfolio ranges from eCall and breakdown calls to numerous other services, such as vehicle status and information. LIVE Navigation provides online traffic information in real time.

Vivaro-e Life in “Medium” or “Large” sizes
Vauxhall will offer the Vivaro-e Life in two lengths, medium or long, each tailor-made to customer requirements and available with up to nine seats. The company says that with a luggage capacity of around 4,500 litres, the long version of Vivaro-e Life is a rival for even bigger vans.

The Vauxhall Vivaro-e Life offers leather seats on aluminium rails that allow full and easy adjustment for all versions. Five, six, seven or eight leather-seat configurations are available. The folding back of the front passenger seat allows the transportation of objects up to 3.50 m in length.

Luxurious “Lounge” trim is standard for the Elite with massage function and electric heating for the front seats, four movable leather chairs behind, each with a 48cm wide seat cushion. VIP passengers can thus also sit facing each other and enjoy the legroom.

Enhancing safety
The new all-electric Vauxhall MPV features numerous driver assistance systems. A camera and radar monitor the area in front of the vehicle. The system even recognises pedestrians crossing the road and can initiate an emergency braking manoeuver at speeds up to 19mph. The semi-adaptive cruise control adjusts the speed to that of the vehicle in front, automatically decelerates and can reduce the speed to 12mph if necessary. Lane-keep assist and drowsiness alert warn drivers if they have spent too much time at the wheel and need a break. High-beam assist, which automatically adjusts to high or low beam, switches on above 15mph. Also there was a colour head-up display that shows speed, distance to the preceding vehicle and navigation.

Ultrasonic sensors in the front and rear bumpers alert the driver to obstacles when parking. The image from the rear view camera appears on the interior mirror or the 7.0-inch touchscreen – the latter with 180-degree visibility from the bird’s eye view.

The large touch screen comes with Multimedia and Multimedia Navi infotainment. Both systems feature phone integration via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Thanks to “Vauxhall Connect”, the navigation system includes real time traffic information for the latest status on the roads.

The order books are due to open this summer, followed by first deliveries during the course of the year.