Volkswagen e-Golf first drive review

From £31,0258
New e-Golf offers the same familiar looks and quality - but it's fun to drive, efficient and fast enough to challenge the best of the electric car brigade
by Greg Kable
8 November 2013

What is it?

Volkswagen’s second series-production electric car – the Volkswagen e-Golf.

Following hot on the heels of the e-Up, the new zero-emission version of Europe’s perennial best seller is planned to go on sale in the UK next spring at a price, Volkswagen’s head of R&D Hans-Jakob Neusser suggests, will see it undercut the recently introduced BMW i3.

Volkswagen has taken its time developing the e-Golf, resisting the urge to launch it until its advanced driveline was sufficiently mature — both in terms of performance and range — to fully meet customer expectations.

Now, with increasing political pressure at home to get zero-emission cars on the road and a rising public awareness of the ability of the latest generation of electric cars, the German car maker appears confident of its potential to finally place the e-Golf on sale.

Unlike BMW with the carbonfibre-intensive i3 – and Nissan with the Leaf as well as Renault with the Zoe for that matter, Volkswagen has decided to base its new electric car around an existing model, the seventh-generation Golf; the reasoning being that a number of internal studies carried out in recent years have revealed potential electric car buyers are more interested in overall everyday practicality and ease of use than fancy styling and a sense of standing out from the crowd.

It is a typically conservative approach, but one that Volkswagen is confident will prove the right one over the longer term. Apart from a blue strip adorning its grille, a pair of e-Golf badges front and rear and full LED headlamps, there initially appears to be little else to differentiate the new e-Golf. However, a closer inspection reveals it boasts a number of detailed aerodynamic refinements that help it to slip through the air with greater efficiency than its more conventional combustion-engine touting siblings.

Included is a new front bumper with integrated LED daytime running lamps that mimic the shape of those of the e-Up, a closed-off grille to block the entry of air to the engine bay, additional underbody panelling for smoother air flow at speed, a rear spoiler atop the tailgate, so-called air guides within the C-pillars and a new rear bumper. The wheels have also been optimised with an aerodynamic design that is claimed to reduce turbulence within the wheel houses. The result is a claimed 10 per cent improvement in drag coefficient over the standard Golf at a claimed Cd of 0.28.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Find an Autocar car review

Driven this week

Back to top

To help streamline assembly at its Wolfsburg-based manufacturing base and keep production costs in check, the e-Golf uses the same MQB platform structure and high strength steel body structure as other seventh-generation Golfs. One body style, a five door hatchback, is planned to underpin sales, although VW doesn’t rule out adding a three-door hatchback at a later stage, should demand warrant it.

Mounted transversely up front in the space usually occupied by the Golf’s wide variety of petrol and diesel powerplants is an in-house developed, engineered and produced synchronous electric motor. Tuned to operate at a maximum 12,000rpm, it develops 114bhp and 200lb ft of torque in the most liberal of three driving modes. Drive is channelled to the front wheels through an in-house produced single-speed gearbox, known as the EQ270.

Energy for the electric motor is provided by a 24.2kWh lithium ion battery that weighs 318kg and is mounted underneath the boot at the rear. Consisting of 264 individual cells sourced from Panasonic, it generates a nominal 232 volts. Charging time is put at a lengthy 13 hours on a 240 volt household socket at a charging power of 2.3 kW. However, this can be cut to just four hours with an optional combined charging system that allows the e-Golf to plug in at a charging station boasting power levels of up to 40kW.

There are no compromises in interior space or overall accommodation, although the boot loses its double-floor feature, meaning there is slightly less luggage space than with other seventh-generation Golfs.

As with the exterior, the interior boasts a familiar look apart from the instrumentation, which has been altered to in line with the driveline. The e-Golf also receives an eight-inch touchscreen colour monitor as standard, providing the basis for a range of unique on-board functions, including a so-called range monitor, energy flow indicator and charge manager.

What's it like?

Much of the e-Golf’s appeal lies in its familiarity, which is something Volkswagen is clearly banking on in its quest to become a force in the electric car ranks.  As with the e-Up, it is entirely conventional to drive. This ease of use should make it an attractive proposition, not only for private buyers but also fleet operators and rental car agencies.

The e-Golf starts with a simple crank of a key in the ignition, at which its instruments spring to life to indicate the electric motor is primed. You then press a button to disengage the electronic handbrake and select d (for drive) via the gear lever – just as you do in conventional Golf models fitted with an optional dual-shift gearbox.  The weighting of the throttle is heavier than usual, but it is easy to modulate on the run.

Save for some roar from the tyres, progress is silent at city speeds. There is sufficient power on tap and nimbleness within the chassis to make the e-Golf fun in an urban environment. The steering is also pleasantly direct, albeit largely devoid of any meaningful feedback. 

While it has focused on making the e-Golf easy to operate, Volkswagen has not shied away from providing it with variety of standard energy boosting functions that help the driver to extend its range.

Advertisement
Back to top

By sliding the gear lever in to B (for brake energy recuperation), you can alter the amount of kinetic energy collected during braking and subsequently stowed in the battery for latter use – and with that comes an altering in the rate of deceleration on a lifted throttle.

There are four defined steps of energy recuperation – D1, D2, D3, D4 - engaged either via the gearlever or steering wheel-mounted paddles; the least severe of which sees the e-Golf gently slow as you back off the throttle and the most severe of which is equivalent to a prolonged nudge of the brake pedal. 

There are also three different driving modes – Normal, Eco and Eco Plus - engaged via the touch-screen monitor. They progressively reduce the amount of power produced by the electric motor, allowing the driver to choose between the maximum 114bhp, 94bhp or 74bhp.

Performance wise, there’s little to complain about. With 199lb ft of torque available the moment you nudge the throttle in normal mode, the e-Golf bursts off the line with a strong and seamless surge of acceleration, hitting 37mph in 4.2sec – a time Volkswagen suggests is quicker than the Golf GTI to provide it with a likeable, spritely nature in an urban driving environment.

The 0-62mph time is a little less notable at 10.4sec, owing in part to the fixed gearing and effect of its 1510kg kerb weight, which makes it 230kg heavier than the Golf 2.0 TDI. However, the all-electric Golf is anything but slow, possessing plenty of urge on the run. Top speed varies depending on the driving mode, limited to 87mph in normal, 71mph in Eco and 56 mph in Eco Plus.

The inherent qualities of the electric driveline make for quiet and relaxed progress.  However, the added weight and 205/55 R16 profile low-rolling resistance with stiff side-wall structures have taken the edge off the ride, which is noticeably firmer than other Golf models.

The e-Golf’s claimed average consumption of 12.7kWh/100km is quite impressive, providing it with an official range of 118 miles. With variances in route profile and driving style taken into account, Volkswagen suggests the real world range is between 81 and 118 miles

Should I buy one?

The answer to this depends largely on your motoring needs. You can’t buy the Volkswagen e-Golf just yet, but for those who require a car exclusively for journeys under the claimed 118-mile maximum range — and have easy access to high power 40kW electric charging — it appears to be a genuine alternative to the current crop of petrol, diesel and even hybrid-powered hatchbacks.

For everyone else, though, the e-Golf is likely to make little sense. Volkswagen’s second dedicated electric car feels terrifically well engineered, imparts the same premium feel as other seventh-generation Golf models and boasts the sort of everyday practicality that is expected from a modern-day hatchback.

The clincher, however, is its ease of operation. Despite boasting a vast array of drive modes, it is very straightforward to drive. With its gutsy low-end acceleration, it is also fun in the nip and tuck of city driving.

Advertisement
Back to top

While we’re yet to verify Volkswagen's claims on range, the official figures place the German car maker’s second dedicated electric car at the top of its market segment in terms of overall efficiency.

A final assessment will have to wait until UK pricing is announced but with Volkswagen already hinting it will be below that of the £25,860 BMW i3 (including a £5000 government rebate), signs are the e-Golf could be the car to get the long-predicted electric car revolution rolling.

Volkswagen e-Golf

Price tba; 0-62mph 10.4sec; Top speed 87mph; Economy 12kWh/100km; CO2 0g/km (local); Kerb weight 1510kg; Engine Synchonous electric motor; Installation Front, transverse, FWD; Power 114bhp; Torque 199lb ft; Gearbox single speed automatic, variable energy regeneration; Battery capacity 24.2kWh

Advertisement

Join the debate

Comments
17

artill

8 November 2013
I have no idea how many people could get by with the limited range of an electric car, but i cant see it being very many. And the choice they have is ever increasing. Its hard to imagine most of the alternatives selling in more than a handful. Over the last couple of years I have seen quite a few Leafs about, and i have seen a Mitsubushi imiev. I have only seen a Zoe on a transporter, and never seen a Citroen, or Peugeot EV. I havent seen any other Renault EVs either, except the Twizy run by the local Renault dealer. I have also seen a couple of Amperas, but one was covered in Vauxhall advertising. Now with a BMW, and a couple of VW alternatives as well there is plenty of choice, but still very few buyers i suspect

ordinary bloke

8 November 2013
.... or so would probably suit many people who work at home and don't commute at all everyday. The key factor will be the price, after all what's the point of buying an expensive car if you hardly ever use it ?

Walking

8 November 2013
As a two car family with off road parking and solar panels this type of solution works for us. However we tend to buy 3 year old cars mainly because I think this gives you a lower cost per mile when you include all the variables. I might be wrong and will plug all the figure in one day. What will interest me in 2 to 3 years is how to replace the batteries which will be the main concern if buying EV secondhand. Will there be as much choice and competition as the current batteries in ICE vehicles? My fear is they are all oddly packaged and you will have to go to the main dealer for replacements. The other interesting point will be how battery technology improves over the next 2-3 years. So after the first 100K on these 2013 cars what range will the replacement batteries provide 200+ miles? With a 2011 (28K miles) Nissan leaf now 10K financially beginning to make sense for many.

bomb

8 November 2013
Unless you can afford a Tesla EVs are still compromised vs ICE vehicles and will remain niche until this is overcome. Yes, the average commute is whatever they say it is but you can't do what I did last week - throw kids & pets in the car after work and drive 3.5 hours non-stop to Scotland. My car can commute AND drive to Scotland in one go. This, and most other EVs, can't. I'm not saying there isn't a place for them, as cities go emission free, but they aren't the complete answer yet. They only work for the majority of drivers as a 2nd car and that's not very green. Or is it blue these days?

Walking

8 November 2013
[quote=bomb]They only work for the majority of drivers as a 2nd car and that's not very green. Or is it blue these days?[/quote] Maybe a London thing I Live in the midlands and nearly every adult I know has a car all of those are couples where one car is always used as the main family car and would need to do longer journeys sometimes and the other is for lots of short runs. The range thing is really a red herring it's just the normal new product adoption cycle. There are common comparisons think of LCD just over 10 years ago and look at the market now the tablet verses Laptop verses desktop market share. I'm looking forward to seeing how radical the designs will be on EV autonomous vehicles, rip out steering wheels, dashboard, mirrors and rewrite the rule book on safety features affecting design (they will not crash)!

bomb

8 November 2013
[quote=Walking] Maybe a London thing I Live in the midlands and nearly every adult I know has a car all of those are couples where one car is always used as the main family car and would need to do longer journeys sometimes and the other is for lots of short runs. [/quote] We're up north and are in the same situation in running 2 cars, one larger for long journeys and a smaller one for shorter errands and a short commute. I will admit to looking at lease costs of a new Leaf and they're only £10 p.m. more than our DS3. This is only a base Visia but would make a lot sense given the sort of use our Citroen gets. My main point is that the EV cannot yet do both kinds of journey. It would suit our kind of situation and if it were your sole car you'd be living and working in a city and have a railcard for further afield.

chandrew

8 November 2013
The big seller in EV terms here in Switzerland this year has been the Tesla S. Since sales started in July it's sold the same number as Jag have sold the XF, far exceeding other similar sized cars like the A7 or Panamera. We don't have any government subsidy for EVs and petrol prices are low compared to much of Europe. In markets like the NL where savings are sizeable if you drive an EV or hybrid more mundane cars are doing well. The Ampere is a common sight there. I guess there's a good reason BMW chose Amsterdam to launch the i3. In terms of cost, I think that the best one to look at to compare EVs and others is cost per mile. We did the sums based on current use and the savings on fuel (and service) easily covered the extra purchase price. Only time will tell, but after spending time with the Tesla, and a shorter time (not driving) the i3 there seem big advantages for electric cars designed as EVs from the ground-up. Much of the layout of a modern car is dictated by the packaging requirements (and implications on safety) of the drive train. Remove that need and there's no reason to design them like they are. My gut is telling me that we've reached a turning point for EVs. As more are sold the charging infrastructure will develop quickly.

xxxx

8 November 2013
I'm in a 2 car family and drive 32,000 miles a year, far more than most people who post here. But my daily commute is 102 miles so in the real world it's just a bit to close to running on empty so to speak. But if my boss let me charge up at work or it had a 180 mile range it would be ideal, especially as they work out to less than 0.02p a mile, plus I'd be travelling in alot quieter car than a diesel! Strange how posts you get by people who the car's not aimed at.

A34

8 November 2013
[quote=xxxx]I'm in a 2 car family ...my daily commute is 102 miles ...if my boss let me charge up at work or it had a 180 mile range it would be ideal, ....[/quote] Exactly - this is the ideal commute wagon for 20-50 mile each-way commutes and an electric socket / charger provided by a sympathetic management. Or maybe even for commuting to the train station (10-35 miles away - no chargers there I expect) with no warm-up time needed. Interesting to read above that the Swiss and Dutch are buying into EVs. The UK will surely follow... at some point.

xxxx

8 November 2013
[quote=A34] ... Interesting to read above that the Swiss and Dutch are buying into EVs. The UK will surely follow... at some point.[/quote] And not just the Dutch and Swiss, the sixth best selling car in Norway was the Leaf, outselling the Quasqai last year I believe

Pages

Add your comment

Log in or register to post comments

Find an Autocar car review

Driven this week