Volkswagen e-Golf: the electric is not like the others

Frédéric Mercier

Friday, February 23, 2018 15:52

UPDATE
Friday, February 23, 2018 15:52

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Volkswagen has never been like the others. And it was not to be expected that changes in the niche market of electric vehicles.

Instead of imitating a Chevrolet or Nissan, and to develop an electric vehicle from an all-new model, the German manufacturer has instead decided to make a variant to 100 % electric of its popular Golf.

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And unless you’re a connoisseur, it is easy to confuse this variant to any other Golf. It has often been criticised for electric vehicles to adopt an image that’s too eccentric, and Volskwagen has obviously understood the message.

Even if it is electric, the e-Golf doesn’t scream on all roofs. Apart from wheels, more aerodynamic and front bumper is slightly different where it has integrated LED headlights in the shape of a “C”, the e-Golf is a Volkswagen like the others. Inside as outside.

Volkswagen e-Golf 2018

Volkswagen e-Golf 2018

It makes us almost forget that you are driving a electric vehicle.

The famous autonomy

Obviously, taking a seat on the board, the indicator of autonomy prominently on the dashboard reminds us rather quickly that it is not sitting in an ordinary vehicle.

With limited autonomy, at 201 miles, the only electric model of Volkswagen is not a dunce in his class, but this is not a first class.

The new Nissan Leaf, despite a price roughly the same, offers forty miles of more autonomy. If you go off the side of Chevrolet, the Bolt does even better with its 383 kilometres.

The 201 kilometres away that offers the e-Golf are more than enough you are going to work and coming back home. If you have the possibility to install a terminal in your home, you plug in the car during the night, and the turn is played.

Volkswagen e-Golf 2018

For treks on weekends, however, it is rather tight. During my trial week with the e-Golf, I left Montreal to go skiing. I would have liked to go to Bromont or Sutton, but I would have been forced to stop on the way back to do a refill. Not want to.

The reality of the electric car I was forced to change my plans. Instead, I took the direction of Saint-Sauveur. Theoretically, I could make the round trip without requiring a recharge. And this was indeed the case. Except that on the return, let’s say I was looking forward to getting.

Driving an electric vehicle, too often, this is it. It is imposing additional stress, and change (or delay) his plans according to his / her vehicle.

That’s not a problem, for some drivers, the game is worth the candle. Simply establish your requirements before purchasing and determine if this kind of vehicle is actually for you.

Volkswagen e-Golf 2018

Flat the electric car?

For a reason that escapes me, a lot of people complain that electric vehicles can be annoying. And quite frankly, it is just the opposite.

Thanks to a high torque and, especially, instant, most vehicles batteries are small bombs on four wheels. Of course, the e-Golf doesn’t have the poise, the Golf R, but one can certainly have fun driving it.

In addition to its 214 lb-ft of torque, the small German electric is characterized by a rigid suspension and a direction in a communicative, which are the signature products Volkswagen for so long.

In this chapter, I have not been disappointed.

Volkswagen e-Golf 2018

A price that passes through

Unfortunately, at a base price of $ 36 355 $, the purchase of an electric vehicle like the e-Golf is still difficult to justify. Even with government assistance of $8,000.

Of course, you won’t have to pay for petrol, but when you know that a Golf regular is available from 19 595 $ with an average fuel consumption of 8.0 L/100 km, you will ride a long time before you can justify your purchase. From a financial point of view, at least.

Anyway, that is if you manage to get your hands on a copy. Many consumers have decried a great difficulty and unreasonable time-limits to be able to finally take possession of an e-Golf. As if Volks doesn’t want to sell…

The Volkswagen e-Golf is certainly not a bad vehicle. Except that for a price almost identical, the Nissan Leaf 2018 offers you more, both in terms of the autonomy of technology. In fact, with the arrival of this new Leaf, there’s no really good reason for turning to the e-Golf.

Unless you are a fan of the finished Volkswagen.

Volkswagen e-Golf 2018

Technical data sheet

Name: Volkswagen e-Golf 2018
Base price: 36 355 $
Configuration: the Vehicle front-wheel drive with engine at the front
Mechanical: electric Motor and battery 35.8 kWh
Transmission: Automatic with a single report
Power/torque: 134 hp/214 lb-ft
Autonomy: 201 miles
Competition: Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Bolt, Ford Focus Electric, Hyundai Ioniq, electric