Environment-conscious California has a healthy appetite for electric cars, so it’s no surprise that Volkswagen plans to launch a battery-powered Golf at the Los Angeles International Auto Show next week. The e-Golf may not be glamorous, but it should have a noticeable impact on the growing electric-car market.
The five-door e-Golf gets unique wheels to distinguish it from the gasoline powered versions, assuming the LED headlamps and lack of an exhaust pipe are too subtle. Under the hood, a 115-horsepower permanent-magnet AC electric motor replaces the gas engine, producing 199 pound-feet of torque. The e-Golf should have no problem keeping up with traffic, and top speed is 87mph as it puts the power to the front wheels via a single-speed transmission. A liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery is mounted under the floor and weighs about 700 pounds. VW says the average range is between 70 and 90 miles. Charging can take less than four hours with a 220-volt connection, or about 20 hours from a standard wall outlet.
True to Volkswagen’s form, the e-Golf promises to be fun to drive as well as allowing some personalization of the driving experience. The regenerative braking system has multiple settings and can be turned up to the point where it will slow the car without the driver touching the brakes. This maximizes battery charging.
To broaden the e-Golf’s appeal in winter time, a new heat pump is standard. The heat pump combines ambient air and head from the drive components to warm the cabin, reducing the amount of work that the electric heater has to do.
The e-Golf will hit the streets in limited release sometime late in 2014.
