The first e-Golf, the compact electric car from Volkswagen was launched in 2014.  In the UK it has not proved to be a great seller with just 137 units sold. Competitors, such as the Nissan LEAF offer more range for a lower price.  In its latest guise the zero emission e-Golf has new battery technology, revised styling – as part of the Mark 7.5 refresh – along with a host of connectivity features. The new model is now available to order priced at £32,190 before the UK plug-in car grant.

Volkswagen has enhanced the efficiency of the all-electric e-Golf and the result is a real driving range increase of 50 per cent compared to the outgoing model. A range of 186 miles is quoted when using the NEDC calculations, a value VW dial down to a real-world range of 124 miles. This has been been achieved by increasing the battery capacity from 24.2 kWh to 35.8 kWh.

The electric motor has also seen an increase in power 100 kW, or 136 PS. This is up 15 kW in comparison to the previous generation e-Golf. That means the performance figures are improved too, with the 0 to 62 mph time now 9.6 seconds and a top speed, where the law permits, of 93 mph. Torque is boosted from 270 Nm to 290 Nm. As before, drive is via a single-speed gearbox.

That 124-mile range ensures the e-Golf is practical for the vast majority of commuter journeys. When the e-Golf needs charging the battery can go from empty to 80 per cent full in just 30 minutes when using a rapid charger.  At home the charging from empty to full from a wallbox takes approximately 5 hours, perfect for overnight charging.

Car-Net Connectivity

The revised model comes equipped with a new enlarged 9.2-inch colour ‘Discover Navigation Pro’ touchscreen where Gesture Control can be used to access satellite navigation with European maps and a voice recognition system for controlling the telephone and navigation functions.  In addition connectivity has been improved with the addition of Car-Net ‘Guide and Inform Plus’. This is a function that brings a suite of online information into the e-Golf including traffic, fuel pricing, parking space availability and weather conditions.

Volkswagen’s Active Info Display is optionally available and replaces the traditional instrumentation with a 12.3-inch high-resolution TFT screen that can be personalised so that it displays the information the driver wants to see.

Distinctive design

Uniquely shaped front and rear bumpers characterise the e-Golf, and the updated car retains the ‘C-signature’ LED Daytime Running Lights that are embedded within the outer edges of the front bumper.  The five-door Golf features all-LED lights at the front and the rear. The lighting is further enhanced with the flowing indicator function at the rear, where the orange indicator light ‘sweeps’ across the tail lights.

A blue signature trim line runs across the radiator grille and into the headlights, and this is echoed with blue stitching on the leather-trimmed steering wheel and gear knob gaiter. At the rear of the all-electric e-Golf there is a roof spoiler and, of course, no visible tailpipe.

All Golfs include Front Assist, which is a safety system that uses a radar sensor to warn the driver of an imminent collision. The system will brake the car automatically if the driver does not react in time. An extension of this is City Emergency Braking, which detects pedestrians moving across the vehicle’s path.

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