Charged Heresy - Long before electric cars became everyday sights on city streets, engineers were already challenging the idea that performance had to rely on gasoline. In the early 1970s, when speed records were still dominated by combustion engines, Opel chose to revisit an old question with modern ambition: could electricity deliver true sporting performance? That question materialized in a striking experiment known as the Opel Elektro GT.
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| The Opel Elektro GT, at first glance, retained the familiar proportions of the Opel GT, one of Europe’s most recognizable sports cars of the late 1960s. (Picture from: RetroMania4Ever in X) |
At first glance,
the Elektro GT retained the familiar proportions of
the Opel GT,
one of Europe’s most recognizable sports cars of the late 1960s. Closer inspection revealed a machine reshaped by purpose rather than style. All front air intakes were sealed, the hood lost its characteristic bulge, and external elements such as bumpers, mirrors, and door handles were removed to reduce drag. A large rear spoiler—never seen on
a standard GT—added high-speed stability. Inside, the transformation was even more radical: the interior was stripped to essentials, with massive battery packs occupying the passenger side and rear seat area, leaving the driver seated in a narrow, almost aircraft-like cockpit.
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| The Opel Elektro GT sealed its front air intakes, flattened its hood, and removed bumpers, mirrors, and door handles to minimize aerodynamic drag. (Picture from: OpelPost) |
Beneath its sculpted body,
the Elektro GT relied on two Bosch-built direct-current electric motors that fully replaced the gasoline engine.
Together,
they delivered around 120 horsepower of continuous output,
with peak power climbing to roughly 160 horsepower—figures that rivaled many combustion-powered sports cars of the era.
Energy came from Varta nickel-cadmium batteries installed beside and behind the driver, adding significant weight but enabling performance once thought impossible for electric vehicles. To manage this mass,
Opel reinforced the suspension and worked with Continental to develop special high-pressure tires that reduced rolling resistance at extreme speeds.
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| The
Opel Elektro GT used two Bosch-built DC electric motors powered by
Varta nickel-cadmium batteries, delivering up to 160 horsepower and
redefining electric performance in its era. (Picture from: RetroMania4Ever in X) |
This experimental machine was built with a clear mission, and it delivered.
On May 17 and 18,
1971,
the Elektro GT took to the Hockenheimring in Germany with Georg von Opel behind the wheel.
Over two days,
the car broke six world records for electric vehicles,
including short-distance standing-start records and average-speed records over 10 kilometers and 10 miles.
The most remarkable figure was an average speed of 188.86 km/h, a number that placed
the Elektro GT firmly in sports-car territory despite its electric drivetrain.
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| The Opel Elektro GT used reinforced suspension and specially developed Continental high-pressure tires to manage its weight while minimizing rolling resistance at extreme speeds. (Picture from: en.AMKlassiek.nl) |
Georg von Opel’s involvement was more than symbolic.
As the grandson of company founder Adam Opel,
he embodied a family tradition of pushing technological boundaries.
That tradition stretched back to the late 1920s,
when his cousin Fritz von Opel—
nicknamed “Raketen-Fritz”—
captured global attention with rocket-powered experiments. Among them was
the Opel Raketen-Motorrad,
a rocket motorcycle that set speed records and proved that radical propulsion concepts could be more than theoretical curiosities.
The Elektro GT carried this spirit into a new era, replacing solid-fuel rockets with electric motors and batteries.
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| The Opel Elektro GT used two Bosch-built DC electric motors powered by
Varta nickel-cadmium batteries, delivering up to 160 horsepower and
redefining electric performance in its era. (Picture from: en.AMKlassiek.nl) |
Despite its record-breaking performance,
the Elektro GT remained an experiment.
The limitations of nickel-cadmium batteries became clear during an attempted 100-kilometer run at a constant 100 km/h,
which ended after just 44 kilometers.
Opel never pursued mass production, and the car stayed a singular demonstration rather than a commercial product. Yet its impact was significant, offering tangible proof that electric vehicles could be fast, powerful, and technically sophisticated decades before such ideas became mainstream.
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| The Opel Elektro GT featured a large rear spoiler—never seen on a standard GT—that improved aerodynamic balance and stability at high speeds. (Picture from: RetroMania4Ever in X) |
Seen from today’s perspective,
the Elektro GT feels less like a forgotten prototype and more like an early chapter in an ongoing story.
Modern electric Opels benefit from compact lithium-ion batteries,
long driving ranges,
and everyday practicality,
but the core message remains unchanged. Over 50 years ago, on a German racetrack,
Opel already showed that electricity could deliver excitement as well as efficiency—and that insight continues to shape the automotive present.
*** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | STELLANTIS | OPELPOST | EN.AMKLASSIEK.NL | COCKPITDZ | ELECTRIVE | RETROMANIA4EVER IN X ]Note: This blog can be accessed via your smart phone.
