We drove the Volkswagen e-Golf earlier this year and now it has arrived in Ireland ready to take on the likes of the BMW i3 and Nissan Leaf in Irish dealerships, priced at €32,660. That includes the kickbacks of €5,000 from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and from Revenue for the VRT bonus of buying an electric car.
Volkswagen claims that the e-Golf can go for 190 kilometres on a full charge. The 360-cell, 26.5kWh battery pack takes around 13 hours to fully charge from a domestic socket, though can be fast-charged to 80 per cent capacity in around 35 minutes.
Performance from the 115hp electric motor is comparable to a 1.6 TDI diesel Golf, with 0-100km/h in 10.4 seconds although the top speed is limited to 140km/h. Volkswagen says that the e-Golf costs just €1.27 per 100km to run, as compared to €5.77 for the diesel Golf or more than €7 for a 1.2 TSI petrol Golf. That's an 84 per cent saving compared to the petrol car.
An optional heat pump (€1,004) helps deliver maximum range in winter. This add-on module for the electric heating and air conditioning uses heat from both ambient air and the vehicle's drive systems, significantly reducing electricity consumption. It can increase the e-Golf's range in cold weather by up to 20 per cent.
As well as a standard driving mode, the e-Golf has two economy profiles: 'Eco' and 'Eco+'. 'Eco' cuts peak power to 70kW/95hp, reduces the output of the air conditioning system and modifies the accelerator response. Top speed is cut to 120km/h and 0-100km/h takes 12.1 seconds. 'Eco+' limits maximum power to 55kW/75hp, torque to 175Nm and top speed to 90km/h, while the accelerator response is modified and the air conditioning disabled. In either mode, full performance can be accessed by pushing down the accelerator pedal all the way, as in a vehicle with a conventional automatic gearbox.
The e-Golf's range can also be influenced by regenerative braking. There are five modes: D, D1, D2, D3 and B. In D, the vehicle coasts without regenerative braking when the accelerator is lifted. In each other mode, lifting off the accelerator pedal provides greater regenerative braking. In D2, D3 and B, the brake lights are activated when the driver's foot is lifted from the accelerator pedal, provided that a predetermined level of deceleration is achieved.
The e-Golf is the first production Volkswagen to feature full LED headlights. These produce brighter light and use less electricity than Xenon headlights. Other bespoke exterior design elements include C-shaped LED daytime running lights in the front bumper, a signature blue strip running the width of the radiator grille and into the headlights, and a blue-edged Volkswagen roundel. The interior includes blue stitching on the upholstery, and the option of blue ambient lighting.
Anything else?
In Ireland, the e-Golf is available with five doors only, and in a single well-equipped trim level based on the Golf Comfortline, with the addition of dual-zone climate control, front and rear parking sensors, specific 'Astanta' alloy wheels and Discover Pro satellite navigation, with an eight-inch colour touchscreen. For the e-Golf the Discover Pro system includes added functionality such as a range display, plus the option to pre-programme the vehicle's heating or cooling systems. Available from the end of the year for smartphone users (Android or Apple iOS), the Volkswagen 'Car-Net' app enables many vehicle functions to be controlled remotely, including charging, heating or cooling and more. One year's subscription to Car Net is included as standard. The car will be on display from this week and available for test drives in Frank Keane Volkswagen Long Mile Dublin, the authorised e-Golf retailer for Ireland.