The 2017 Volkswagen e-Golf has been revealed at the Los Angeles motor show as a heavily revised all-electric model that offers 50% more range than its predecessor.
The updated car can cover up to 186 miles on a single according to New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) tests, and Volkswagen claims that 124 miles or more is possible in real-world driving.
Electric motor and battery
This ranks the new e-Golf above its, key rival, the Nissan Leaf, which according to NEDC tests has a 156-mile range - or about 110 miles in real-world driving conditions. However, the new Renault Zoe trumps both models with its claimed 250-mile range and estimated 186-mile real-world range.
The e-Golf has a 35.8kWh lithium-ion battery (up from 24.2kWh), producing 134bhp and 214lb ft of torque. Volkswagen says the car’s battery can be charged to 80% capacity in an hour using a 40kW fast charger. When using a conventional wall charger of 7.2kW, charging to 100% takes less than six hours.
Straight-line performance has also been improved, with the 0-62mph dash taking 9.6sec, eight tenths of a second quicker than before. Top speed is now 93mph, 6mph more than the outgoing car.
Upgrades and technology
Along with the technical changes for the 2017 e-Golf are the same aesthetic updates that have been applied to the facelifted Golf range. The refreshed look adds full LED headlights and tail-lights, along with tweaked front and rear bumper designs.
Inside, the new e-Golf gets Volkswagen’s Active Info Display, a 12.3in screen that replaces traditional instrument dials. Additionally, a centre console-mounted 9.2in touchscreen infotainment system now features gesture control as standard – a first for production EVs.
