The first electric Golf dates back to 1976 — how does today's model hold up? And what about the new TGI natural gas version? Pros and cons told through a double road test
For most people, the Golf is above all the GTI, the sportiest version of the hatchback designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro in 1974. Over a career spanning more than forty years, one of the longest-lived cars of all time has gradually transformed, progressively shifting towards new, cleaner and more efficient powertrains. Of course, the bestsellers remain the petrol and diesel models — the latter bringing to mind the recent scandals. But there is another Golf, heir, almost fifty years on, to Volkswagen's first experiments in electric traction dating back to 1972: first with an electric version of the T2 van, the legendary Bulli of the Sixties, the "official" vehicle of the hippie movement (only 120 electrified units were built), and then with the Elektro-Golf, a battery-powered car used for a long time as a laboratory vehicle — VW's first steps towards electric mobility.
In the meantime, beyond the possible decline of diesel (on which, however, Matthias Müeller, CEO of Volkswagen A.G, recently announced investments of 20 billion euros during 2018), VW offers on the market the e-Golf, the electric version of the iconic model (a plug-in hybrid version is also available), and the Golf TGI, the natural gas version which, thanks to the recent unblocking of the Decreto biometano, could enjoy a virtuous career as the ideal vehicle for that transitional period towards electrification that will see various types of alternative fuels coexisting.
To the untrained eye, they could be mistaken for two ordinary Golfs. And yet… the e-Golf is the electric version of the well-known hatchback. The other, the TGI, is the latest methane version (already capable of cutting CO2 emissions by 25 per cent compared with petrol engines), which could today already be filled up with biomethane produced from organic waste materials, food waste, agricultural residues or sewage effluent, achieving a reduction of over 80 per cent in CO2 emissions and overall emissions very close to those of an electric car powered by renewable energy sources.
"A compact with the emissions and running costs of a city car" — that is how VW describes it. Indeed, with 98 g/km of CO2 emitted and less than 15 euros to fill up with gas, the Golf TGI is a fine example of economy and efficiency. Under the bonnet sits a 1.4 turbocharged petrol engine producing 110 horsepower, though it uses as little petrol as possible… In fact, the Golf TGI starts up automatically running on methane from the outset, and only switches back to petrol automatically once the gas runs out, drawing on a total range of nearly 1,300 kilometres. While waiting for biomethane producers to be able to feed into the grid and open refuelling stations, methane already has a fairly widespread distribution network, one that a recent Snam-Eni agreement is set to expand further; 2,000 refuelling stations are planned, though unfortunately without self-service. Price of the Golf TGI: from €17,900.
The "zero emission" version of the Golf is an electric car with a declared range of 300 kilometres, which realistically translates to 200. The system uses a 35.8 kWh lithium-ion battery powering an electric motor that develops 136 horsepower. To give a clear sense of its everyday usability, charging times range from 13 hours using a standard domestic socket, to around 4 hours at a 7.2 kW charging station, down to 45 minutes to reach 80 per cent charge at a 40 kW fast-charging point. Given the shortage of electric infrastructure in Italy, the ideal choice for anyone buying an electric car like the e-Golf is to install a wall box in the garage — even better if powered by renewable energy. Price of the e-Golf: €39,600.
The latest Golf, whether electric or methane-powered, sits at the top of its class for innovation, technology and safety. A case in point: many on-board functions are controlled through gesture commands — in other words, the car reads certain hand movements and interprets them as instructions, such as turning down the radio volume. On the active safety front, alongside LED headlights (which greatly improve visibility at night) there is automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, a traffic-jam driving assistance system that at moderate speeds anticipates autonomous driving, and adaptive cruise control that automatically maintains speed and distance from the vehicle ahead, significantly improving driving safety. And while the two Golfs differ only in a few details aesthetically, climbing aboard you immediately notice a completely different instrument cluster; on the e-Golf, in place of the rev counter there is a gauge showing instant consumption in kilowatt-hours and energy flow monitoring.
Anyone who has the Golf in mind has always pictured a car with lively performance, light years away from monotonous driving. The e-Golf confirms this reputation — and indeed reinforces a characteristic common to all electric cars: namely that in electrically powered vehicles acceleration comes instantly, with impressive responsiveness. For those unfamiliar with performance figures, the numbers speak clearly: the electric Golf goes from 0 to 100 km/h in just 9.6 seconds. And the top speed, electronically limited, is 150 km/h. Another myth to dispel: methane-powered cars are less powerful than their petrol equivalents. Or rather, that used to be the case years ago, when cars were converted using aftermarket kits. Today, cars like the Golf TGI deliver performance and reliability identical to petrol models, only with more favourable efficiency levels and emissions. The Golf TGI is slightly slower than its electric rival, the e-Golf, and takes 10.6 seconds to go from 0 to 100 km/h. On the other hand, it can reach a top speed of 195 km/h. Fuel consumption? 3.6 kg of gas per 100 kilometres. The Golf TGI offers a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox (very enjoyable), whereas the e-Golf, like all electric cars, has no gearbox — you simply accelerate. The electric Golf wins on comfort thanks to its absolute silence, an effect that does tend to diminish as speed rises and aerodynamic noise increases; the TGI prevails for its considerable range and for economy, starting with the purchase price. Steering and brakes? Excellent on both versions, as is the driving pleasure that has always been the hallmark of every Golf. If one wanted to be critical, one could say that the weight of the batteries on the e-Golf noticeably reduces agility in corners, but this is more than offset by the fun of its acceleration and the smoothness of its ride.
Today Volkswagen is pushing towards zero-emission mobility, electrification and biomethane, the latter conceived as an "ideal resource in the transition towards an electric future." And the recent statements by Matthias Müller give cause for optimism: the conversion of 16 factories for the production of electric motors by 2022; 3 million zero-emission cars sold by 2025; 80 electric and plug-in hybrid models, spread across the 12 brands belonging to the German group (Audi, Skoda, Seat and Lamborghini, to name but a few); a new joint venture with Chinese manufacturer Anhui Jianghuai Automobile (JAC) for the production of electric vehicles, plus numerous partnerships forged with battery manufacturers in Europe and China. In the meantime, new petrol engines with "micro hybrid" systems are arriving, capable of deactivating certain cylinders or switching off completely (the "eco-coasting" mode) to save fuel and cut emissions. In short, scandals (and billion-dollar settlements) behind it, the future of Volkswagen appears to be heading in the right direction.