The 2017 Volkswagen e-Golf electric car gets a number of notable updates this year, including considerably increased range and a more powerful electric motor. Unveiled at the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show, the e-Golf gets similar styling and content changes to other models in 2017 Golf lineup. Crucially, the electric version also gets a 50-percent boost in battery capacity—from 24.2 kilowatt-hours to 35.8 kwh. While official EPA figures aren’t available yet, VW expects a range of 124 miles, up from the 83-mile range of the current car.
The longer range matches that of the 2017 Hyundai Ioniq Electric, and represents the longest range of any current electric car apart from the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV and Tesla’s Model S and Model X. The Bolt EV has an EPA-rated range of 238 miles, while both Teslas have ranges of more than 200 miles, but with prices starting around $70,000. The e-Golf beats the range ratings of the 2017 Nissan Leaf (107 miles) and BMW i3 (114 miles), the only other mass-market electric cars of comparable price.
In addition to its larger battery pack, the 2017 Volkswagen e-Golf also boasts a more powerful electric motor. The upgraded motor produces 100 kilowatts (134 horsepower) and 214 pound-feet of torque, up from 86 kW (115 hp) and 199 lb-ft of torque in the previous year’s model. Volkswagen says the 2017 e-Golf will accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 9.6 seconds, a reduction of more than 1 second. Top speed is quoted at 93 mph. A 7.2-kW onboard charger is now standard on all models, while a CCS DC fast-charging port is standard on the SEL Premium model and optional on the SE base model.
On the outside, the 2017 e-Golf features slightly updated front and rear styling. he 2017 Volkswagen e-Golf will go on sale early next year, at selected dealers only in certain states. While all other Golf models sold in North America are now built at a plant in Mexico, the e-Golf is assembled only in Germany and exported to the U.S. and other markets.
Assembly currently takes place alongside other Golf variants at VW’s Wolfsburg plant, but e-Golf production will soon expand into the “Transparent Factory” in Dresden. The “Transparent Factory” is a glass-walled plant built to produce the now-defunct Volkswagen Phaeton large luxury sedan. Volkswagen has also said that it expects to begin building electric cars in North America by 2020.
Source: greencarreports.com
