The updated version of the electric Volkswagen e-Golf, in production from December, will see its range increase from 190 to 300 km thanks to more powerful batteries. Performance also improves.
When a high jumper sets a new record, rivals are inevitably forced to redefine their own objectives, change their training and raise the bar of their ambitions. The same happens in the automotive sector, where the electric range of mid-size saloons — that is, the most widely sold models on the market — has grown in recent times from just under 200 km to around 300 kilometres. This evolution is linked to the spread of more powerful and efficient batteries. A change that promises to work in favour of sustainable mobility, especially when the protagonist is a best-seller such as the Volkswagen Golf.
Bmw threw a stone into the pond by announcing for the new i3 an average range of 300 kilometres, equivalent to 200 kilometres in everyday use — that is, with the air conditioning on and in any weather conditions. Almost simultaneously, American giant Ford let slip rumours about the development of a new low-emission vehicle capable of travelling 300 kilometres on every charge, while word spread of the imminent debut of the compact Chevrolet Bolt and the Opel Ampera-e MPV, credited with a range of 320 and 300 kilometres respectively. Faced with such a buzz, Volkswagen decided to act, stating that the new generation of the electric Golf, soon to undergo a minor facelift, would also be able to count on 300 kilometres of range.
"This is not a simple evolution," declared Thomas Lieber, head of the German brand's electric range, "but rather a genuine step change from the past. The current e-Golf has a maximum range of 190 km, while the new generation, in production from December, will reach 300 km. We are entering the 2.0 era of zero-emission mobility." The expected improvement is essentially linked to the adoption of a more powerful battery, with 35.8 kWh instead of 24.3 kWh, which will bring with it an improvement in performance, as Volkswagen quotes a sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 9.2 seconds instead of 10.4 seconds for the old model, and a top speed of 150 km/h instead of 140 km/h.
No technical data relating to the electric motor has been released at this stage, but it is reasonable to expect that both power and torque will increase slightly compared with the current 115 hp and 270 Nm. What is certain, however, is that the body configuration, exclusively 5-door, and the notably generous standard equipment will not change — the latter extending to dual-zone automatic air conditioning, cruise control, aerodynamically optimised alloy wheels, parking sensors, full LED light clusters, a navigation system with CD radio, and a heatable windscreen.
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The optimised version of Wolfsburg's electric mid-sizer is set to replace the old model, priced at 38,000 euros and characterised by a slightly reduced load capacity compared with the version equipped with a conventional engine. To date, the e-Golf accounts for just 1 per cent of sales of Volkswagen's best-seller, but in 2016 the German manufacturer is confident of producing at least 12,000 electric units.