The brand with the (new) Blitz was a star attraction at the IAA Mobility 2023. The key messages were already beamed into homes all over Germany by ARD and ZDF on the morning of the opening day. Talking to TV reporter Brigitte Saar live on “Morgenmagazin”, Opel CEO Florian Huettl said “Climate protection is the biggest task of our generation. At the same time, individual mobility is a valuable asset that we must protect and further develop.”

Opel increases the pace

Opel had come to Munich and the six-day mobility show to underline its leading role in electromobility. 15 models are already electrified; from next year there will be at least one purely battery-electric variant in every carline. And Opel is increasing the pace. “As of 2025 every newly introduced Opel model will be driven purely by electricity,” announced Huettl at the press conference.

Strong line-up with three world premieres

The Federal Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz visited the Opel booth during the traditional opening tour of the IAA Mobility today – wearing an eye patch after an accident. He was welcomed personally by Opel CEO, Florian Huettl, who presented one of the highlights of the IAA, the visionary Opel Experimental. “The sleek crossover study makes you want more!” said the headlines in the “BILD” newspaper. But Opel is delivering now while also working on the future.

The second world premiere, the new Astra Sports Tourer Electric, is one of the first battery-electric estates on the market and will soon be available across Europe. Number three in the line-up of world premieres is the Corsa Electric. The small car bestseller has become the spearhead of the brand’s electrification offensive. In August 2023, more than every second newly registered Corsa in Germany was battery-electric. The model also accounted for around 50 per cent of all BEV sales in the entire B segment.

This year, for the first time, the IAA was divided into two locations. The trade visitors congregated at the Munich exhibition centre, the “IAA Summit”. The general public, on the other hand, found out about all kinds of mobility topics at the “Open Space” in the heart of Munich. The weather was wonderful, the Opel booth at Odeonsplatz was surrounded by visitors. In addition to the world premieres, the #OpelDesignHack winner Rocks e-XTREME also stood out. The unique electrified quadricycle with its outboard wheels and bright yellow roll bar is a real eye-catcher.

Public in the “Open Space”,
Trade at the “Summit”

The Opel booth not only blended harmoniously into the Munich cityscape. The booth concept was developed with a circular economy in mind. Many elements can be reused and recycled. Semi-transparent materials and large screens welcomed the audience. Visitors were even able to influence the huge LED screen in the background themselves. With the help of Opel AI, an artificial intelligence, the Opel Experimental immersed itself virtually in new worlds.

At Opel, easy, everyday electric mobility begins not with driving, but with the configuration and purchase. “Buying an Opel has to be clear, easy and fun,” said the head of Opel Marketing, Rebecca Reinermann. Visitors to the stand were impressed by the new digital purchasing experience – buying an Opel jus by scrolling!

Setting out a clear vision

At the end of the show, the organisers counted over half a million visitors, which is around 100,000 more than at the Munich-premiere in 2021. It was not just the audience in downtown Munich and the trade visitors at the exhibition centre who experienced a new Opel. The brand also successfully conveyed its messages in the media. The Opel Experimental graced front pages, there were hundreds of press reports, and a dozen TV interviews were conducted. The social media team used all channels from TikTok to Instagram and reached 60 million users. Modern, focussed and sustainable – with this display, Opel transported people into the future of the brand.