Plug and play
8 months 4 775 km 13,1 kWh/100 km
+ instant access to torque; one-pedal driving; high levels of refinement; affordable to run
- range plummets on the highway; public charging infrastructure; you can’t actually buy one
Were it not for the word “electric” emblazoned along its flanks, I suspect our E-Golf – one of just six examples buzzing around the country as part of Volkswagen SA’s electric vehicle pilot project – would have gone by largely unnoticed by other motorists. That’s not what happened, though. Not by a long shot. At first glance, it looks pretty much like a standard version of Wolfsburg’s popular seventh-generation, five-door hatchback. But pay close attention and you’ll be able to pick out clues to the fully electric powertrain lurking silently beneath that familiar skin. Up front, for instance, there’s a blue line extending from the (blanked off) grille into the headlamps, plus model-specific daytime running lights. In profile, you’ll notice the aero-optimised 16-inch alloy wheels, while the derrière does without a tailpipe.
The E-Golf doesn’t only share styling with its siblings with more conventional engines. As in virtually any Golf, the electric variant strikes a pleasing balance between ride comfort and dynamic stability, boasts enviable build quality (plus whisper-quiet refinement) and offers generous interior space. Only the luggage compartment is compromised compared with that of a mainstream Golf, due to the 35,8 kWh battery squeezed in beneath the floor and the charging paraphernalia we had to lug around wherever we went.
How far can it go on a single charge? Well,
