2024 marks a truly special year for Opel, highlighted by a commitment to electric mobility. For the first time in the brand’s history, each car will feature a 100% electric version, especially the new Opel Astra Sports Tourer Electric – one of the first battery-powered electric station wagons on the market. However, the company laid the foundations for affordable, innovative, and future-proof four-wheel mobility 125 years ago.
On January 21, 1899, Wilhelm Opel, son of the company’s founder Adam Opel, signed a contract with blacksmith Friedrich Lutzmann for the purchase of his automobile factory. This event signaled the start of the German automaker’s production and marked the beginning of a new era that would make history well beyond Rüsselsheim. Already a successful manufacturer of sewing machines and bicycles, the automotive brand ventured into uncharted territory for the company exactly 125 years ago.
January 21, 1899, was the day Opel began producing its cars
Since then, over 75 million cars from the German automaker have left production plants across Europe. One of the current bestsellers hails from Rüsselsheim: the latest generation of the Opel Astra. As Opel celebrates the 125th anniversary of its automotive production and paves the way to the future, the innovative compact class model rolls off the assembly line today with advanced technologies and electrified, emission-free transmissions.
Florian Huettl, CEO of Opel, stated: “Like Opel 125 years ago, we are now at the start of a new era. Back then, the company became a pioneer by entering the automotive era. Today, the brand is an electric pioneer, offering individual mobility with zero local emissions, suitable for everyday use, like the new Astra Sports Tourer Electric. Just like the first Opel car, this vehicle also comes from Rüsselsheim. We are proud of this legacy and will therefore celebrate Opel’s 125th anniversary of automotive production under the banner of electromobility.”
125 years after the start of automotive production in Rüsselsheim, Opel and its customers are aiming for a locally emission-free future, with fun-to-drive vehicles suitable for everyday use. 2024 will be marked by this significant anniversary and the continued journey of the Stellantis-owned German automaker towards electrification, accompanied by celebrations and innovative new models.