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The Volkswagen production lines have churned out over 33 million Golfs since 1974 and the model has become thought of as one of the most popular vehicles in the compact category. When it came to electric cars, however, it has to be said that the Golf was lagging some way behind, which is why the German manufacturer has been designing the first Golf with a fully electric engine since 2014. As part of its latest restyle it has now been equipped with more power, a greater range and a more comprehensive selection of features as standard.
In terms of aesthetics and quality of finish, the (e-)Golf has undeniably remained true to its roots. External updates to the electric Golf include changes to the front and rear ends with new LED headlights and LED rear lights. So how does this zero-emissions vehicle now differ from those models fitted with a combustion engine? The answer lies primarily in the battery life and the price. The most significant change with regards to the previous model lies hidden beneath the bonnet. Indeed, energy content has now increased from 24.2kWh to 35.8kWh thanks to its new lithium-ion battery, resulting in a battery life of over 300km according to the New European Driving Cycle, as opposed to 190km with its predecessor. In practice, however, the actual battery life differs from this figure and can reach nearly 200km depending on the type of driving, weather conditions and whether or not you are using the air-con or heating.
The electric engine has also been redesigned and now delivers power of 136hp (100kW), that is 20hp (15kW) more than its predecessor, and despite its 1.6 tonnes in weight (the battery alone weighs 345kg), the e-Golf can accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in 9.6 seconds. It can achieve a maximum speed of 150km/h, although this has apparently been restricted with a view to optimising its battery life. Despite this, the e-Golf is a very enjoyable drive and even quick overtaking manoeuvres are also, in reality, simply a mental problem given that the maximum battery life decreases rather quickly in the event of frequent vigorous acceleration. It is still surprising to see how much more carefully and thoughtfully you drive when you’re constantly trying to keep the various dashboard indicators within the appropriate ecological limits.
There is another new feature that must also help improve its efficiency, this being the navigation system (as standard), which uses journey data to save energy. If the car is approaching a junction, roundabout or bend, for example, or if a new speed limit applies, the system displays a message on the screen telling the driver to ease off the accelerator pedal even before they may have detected the change.
The larger battery may be impressive in terms of its battery life, but it is also something of a drawback when you only have a normal socket at home for charging it, in which case recharging an empty battery takes several hours. When using a CCS (Combined Charging System) station, however, the battery will reach 80% charge in just 45 minutes and the electric car is ready to set off again.
You’ll need to be prepared to fork out at least €31,150 if you decide to go for the electric Golf, meaning that the e-Golf is still a fairly expensive treat at nearly twice the price of a basic petrol model (costing around €17,000).