Opel has joined other automakers in updating its logo as the industry transitions to building electric vehicles. The new interpretation of the emblem will begin arriving on Opel’s production cars as early as next year. The automaker will roll out the new logo to the rest of its portfolio over the coming years.
Opel’s new lightning bolt badge – or “Blitz” in German – helps associate the brand with electricity. The automaker wants to become a fully electric brand in Europe by 2028, and it plans to have 15 electrified models in its portfolio this year, according to company CEO Florian Huettl.
Gallery: New Opel Logo
The first production vehicle to wear the new emblem arrives in 2024, but we’ll see a lot of the freshened badge throughout the year. We have no idea what model the new logo will adorn first. Opel said it would have an extensive introduction for the emblem at this year’s IAA Mobility, the Munich Motor Show, with a planned “surprise” for visitors.
Opel most recently updated its branding in 2020 after joining PSA Group, which would become part of Stellantis when it merged with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. The new badge isn’t far from the current one, with additional spacing added around the lightning bolt mark at the center that separates it from the encompassing circle. It’s a tad sharper, too.
The new logo will continue to sit in the center of the Opel Vizor brand face, a key element to the vehicle’s exterior and interior design. “The sharpened, confident new “Blitz,” intersects the pure supporting ring, giving our iconic emblem a progressive, modern look,” said Mark Adams, Opel Vice President of Design.
Opel joins a growing list of automakers updating their branding and logos. Infiniti announced minor changes to its badge last week, introducing a new three-dimensional emblem and new architecture for its retail centers. So far this year, Opel is the fourth automaker to update their logo, joining Jaguar Land Rover and Porsche.
Since 2019, Volkswagen, Renault, Peugeot, Nissan, Lotus, Kia, General Motors, Cadillac, and many others have updated their emblems and badges. As automakers fill their portfolios with EVs, they are updating more than their products to help convey to customers their new direction.
