Volkswagen e-Golf
Volkswagen has given us a much-improved e-Golf for 2017 with a 50% range increase.
Range Based on EPA cycle
119miles (192 kms)Battery
35.8kWhLatest Model Year
2017Price MSRP - Manufacturers Recommended Retail Price
US$30,495
Performance
| Top Speed | 93 mph |
| Acceleration | 9.6 seconds (0-60 mph) |
| Torque | 214 lb-ft |
| Power | 85 kW |
Charging
| Home Charging* | 6 hours charge time* |
| Fastcharge Port | CCS |
| Fastcharge Speed | Charged to 80% in one hour |
Slow (Home and some Public Chargers)
Each EV has an inbuilt charger capable of receiving AC power. The charging port could have different fittings depending on where you are in the world. Even the same vehicle model sold in different countries could have different implementations.
Type 1 (SAE J1772 or "J Plug")
This plug is common in Australasia, Asia, the US and Canada. |
Type 2 (IEC 62196 or "Mennekes")
This plug is common in Europe. |
Fast Charging
Only available in some public chargers, this uses DC power to charge the battery directly. Each EV has a maximum speed at which it can be charged, and batteries are only fastcharged up to 80% capacity to ensure battery health. There are a number of different port configurations.
Many fast chargers will have multiple connectors, and power capacity (which is increasing as the technology improves).
CCS (Combined Charging System)
CCS ports are a combination of the slow charging port and an extra 2-pin socket. Therefore they can be either Type 1 or Type 2.
CHAdeMo
Developed in Japan, the CHAdeMO is common in vehicles such as the Nissan Leaf.
Tesla
Tesla developed their own fastcharge connector, although in some countries without proprietary Tesla chargers, the vehicle has a cable to adapt to CHAdeMO or Type 2 CCS.
How Fast Can An EV Charge?
Slow charging (home and public)
Slow charging is limited by the lower of: the EV's onboard charging speed, or the output of the wall-mounted charger you are plugged into. Charging speed is measured in kilowatts(kW). For example: your wall-mounted charger can output 32 Amps at 240 volts = 7.68 kW of power, however your EV's onboard charger is 6.6 kW - then that is the maximum speed. The higher the battery capacity, the more time it takes to charge.
Fast charging
DC fast chargers are being built with higher capacities, however this is still limited by the hardware limitations the EV manufacturer has placed on the battery. Most DC fast chargers start at 40kW (many have a much higher capacity).
Specs
| Body Type | Hatchback |
| Drive Train | Front Wheel Drive |
| Passenger Capacity | 93 cu-ft |
| Cargo Capacity | 23 cu-ft |
Sales Numbers (USA)
- Monthly
- Yearly
Cumulative Sales to Date (USA)
Volkswagen e-Golf Pros & Cons
Volkswagen’s e-Golf has come along quite a bit since the first model was launched in 2014 and, although it’s a compliance EV, Volkswagen is putting in the effort to ensure it’s competitive.
Range Increase
Most notably is the 2017 e-Golf’s range, which has gone up to 186 miles (NEDC) from just 83. Although Volkswagen admits that in the real world the e-Golf is more likely to achieve 125 miles but that’s still a 50% increase.
This 50% increase in range is down to the e-Golf’s new 35.8 kWh battery, up from the 24.2 kWh battery used in the old model.
Charging Improvements
Volkswagen has also made the 7.2 kW onboard charger a standard feature for 2017. This means level 2 charging, from a 240v power source, will take just under six hours. Charging from a 120v socket will still take around 13 hours, however.
A DC fast charger is an optional extra on the base SE and a standard feature on the SEL Premium model for 2017. This will charge the e-Golf to 80% in about an hour. You can also expect to get an EPA estimated 119 MPGe with combined city/highway driving.
Front Wheel Drive Performance
Whereas the 2016 e-Golf used an 85 kW electric motor, this year’s model gets a 100 kW motor. The torque figure has also been boosted from 199 lb-ft to 214 lb-ft. This means the e-Golf will get to 62 mph in 9.6 seconds and go on to a top speed of 93 mph. All the power from the electric motor is sent to the front wheels.
Interior
The 4-door hatchback will seat five passengers easily in its 93 cubic feet of space and has a decent cargo capacity too, coming in at 23 cubic feet.
The e-Golf is well finished on the inside and its 9.2-inch touchscreen, which is integrated into the dashboard, is especially nice.
Although the e-Golf was born out of necessity, Volkswagen has done enough to ensure it stands out as much more than just a compliance car.
Manufacturer Sales Page
www.vw.comCredit to insideevs.com for sales data.