Having stood back for years while rivals General Motors, Renault-Nissan and others launched plug-in cars, the Volkswagen Group is about to launch multiple new EVs and PHEVs. The first two, the e-up! and e-Golf, will debut at the Frankfurt IAA.
The new plug-in Volkswagens are the brand’s first production pure EVs. Each is said to be a “high volume” model, though the company is yet to publicly state any hard numbers – this it should do at the Frankfurt show.
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The full specification of the e-up! was released to the media as long ago as March, but only now has VW revealed the drivetrain secrets of the plug-in five-seater Golf.
The e-Golf has a claimed range of up to 190km and standard features will include automatic climate control with parking heater and ventilation, a radio-navigation system, windscreen heating, LED daytime running lights and the Volkswagen brand’s first use of LED headlights.
The plug-in Golf is said to consume 12.7kWh of electricity, so given a price of 0.258 euro per kWh (Germany, as of 31st July 2013), driving 100 kilometres would cost EUR3.30 according to Volkswagen’s figures.
An 85kW/115PS electric motor produces its maximum drive torque of 270Nm as soon as it starts off. VW says the car reaches 100 km/h in 10.4 seconds and has an electronically limited top speed of 140 km/h.
Key components for both new EVs – e-motors, gearboxes and lithium-ion batteries – were developed in-house, and are also manufactured in Germany at Volkswagen Group plants.
The e- can be distinguished from other Golfs but several exterior features, including special wheels and a blue stripe which runs across the grille and headlights, in the same way that the GTI has a red stripe.
Other than Germany, a list of launch markets is yet to be announced for the e-Golf.
Author: Glenn Brooks
