Fully electric Volkswagen e-Golf has never been a superstar in sales of electric vehicles (except maybe in Norway), but since the beginning, e-Golf represent a reliable choice for many electric vehicle buyers.

The battery with 22 kilowatt-hours in combination with not the most efficient drive has ensured that the Volkswagen e-Golf has been lately in a quite disadvantaged position compared to the competition, which has been able to achieve the real 200-mile range. But now, with the new 2017 Volkswagen e-Golf, the situation has improved.

2017 Volkswagen e-Golf official EPA rating: 200 kilometers (125 miles)

The official US EPA range of a new 2017 Volkswagen e-Golf is 125 miles on a single charge or a little over 200 kilometers. It looks even more promising looking at the NEDC standard, which determined the 2017 e-Golf total range of 300 kilometers or 186 miles. But to be honest, NEDC ratings for electric vehicles are obsolete and unrealistic and give as a quite fairy-tale figure. So we will skip that and stick to more realistic EPA figures.

New e-Golf with bigger battery and more powerful motor

Most of the credit for increased total range of the new 2017 Volkswagen e-Golf goes to the new battery, which has (at the same volume and only a bit more weight) strongly increased in capacity. The old battery pack had 24.2 kilowatt-hours, which has now increased to 35.8 kilowatt-hours of usable capacity. That is almost 50% more than before. And yes, some of the credit for increased range also goes to a bit more efficient drive technology.

New is not only the battery but also the motor in 2017 Volkswagen e-Golf, which is now is able to produce 136 horsepower instead of 115. And because engineers have also improved battery chemistry, the new e-Golf in now more energy efficient.

Improved 2017 Volkswagen e-Golf can be charged within an hour (up to 80%)

2017 Volkswagen e-Golf still has the option of charging at the fast charging stations with CCS standard (but with only 40 kilowatts of power), as well as a built-in 7,2-kilowatt charger for charging with alternating current. When equipped with DC Fast Charging, the battery can be charged to 80 percent within an hour at a DC fast charging station. The 7.2 kW onboard charger is now standard on all e-Golf trims, which enables the battery to be charged in less than six hours at a 240V charging station.

e-Golf with all the goodies from Golf 7.5

The new 2017 Volkswagen e-Golf, of course, goes hand in hand with the recently renewed “classic” Golf 7.5. That means that e-Golf 2017 also received all the relevant updates. Including revised front and rear end with new headlights and taillights, both with integrated LED-technology. One of the innovations in the e-Golf is an active information display and digital dashboard. In addition, 2017 Volkswagen e-Golf is the world’s first electric car in which functions can be controlled with gestures.

Class leading equipment and assistance systems?

Standard equipment also includes a new multimedia system Discover Pro. For the 2017 Volkswagen e-Golf, Car-Net e-Remote (which among others controls the battery management, Air conditioning, vehicle status, last parking position…) and in-car information services Guide & Inform, responsible for Online Traffic Information, Destination Import, Personal Point Of Interest list, Online POI Search, News, Weather, Fuel Info, and Parking Info.

The range of assistance systems has also been expanded in 2017 Volkswagen e-Golf. Thus, right from the beginning, it offers the Traffic Jam assist (partially autonomous driving up to a speed of 60 km/h), pedestrian monitoring for Front Assist with City Emergency Braking and Emergency Assist (automatic stopping function in case of driver loses consciousness).

2017 Volkswagen e-Golf competition and rivals

• BMW i3
• Chevrolet Bolt EV
• Ford Focus electric
• Hyundai Ioniq electric
• Kia Soul EV
• Mercedes-Benz B250e
• Nissan Leaf
• Opel Ampera-e
• Renault Zoe

Volkswagen e-Golf (2017) vs. Opel Ampera-e (2017) video comparison

Two hot European electric competitors, e-Golf vs. Ampera-e. Dimensionally quite similar, these two are a lot different under the skin. Opel Ampera-e offers more powerful motor and more dynamic driving experience, with a bigger battery and much longer total range. VW e-Golf offers more moderate but still good performance backed up with a decent total range, for a lot less money. And yes, Opel Ampera-e is a European twin brother of Chevy Bolt, but you probably already know that.

2017 Volkswagen e-Golf technical details

Exterior dimensions

• Length: 4,270 mm / 168.1 in.
• Width: 1,799 mm / 70.8 in.
• Height: 1,482 mm / 58.3 in.
• Wheelbase: 2,629 mm / 103.5 in
• Ground clearance: 127 mm / 5.0 in.
• Curb weight: 1,615 kg / 3,560 lbs.

Interior dimensions

• Front headroom: 975 mm / 38.4 in.
• Front leg room: 1,046 mm / 41.2 in.
• Front shoulder room: 1,420 mm / 55.9 in.
• Rear headroom: 968 mm / 38.1 in.
• Rear leg room: 904 mm / 35.6 in.
• Rear shoulder room: 1,369 mm / 53.9 in.

Cargo volume / luggage compartment

• Basic volume/seats up: 341 liters / 12.0 cu.ft.
• Expanded volume/seats down: 1,231 liters / 43.5 cu.ft

Motor and performance

• Maximum power: 136 hp / 100 kW (2016 e-Golf: 115 hp / 85 kW)
• Maximum torque: 290 Nm / 214 lb.ft. (2016 e-Golf: 270 Nm / 199 lb.ft.)
• Top speed: 150 km/h / 93 mph (2016 e-Golf: 140 km/h / 87 mph)
• Acceleration (0-100 km/h / 0-62 mph): 9.6 seconds (2016 e-Golf: 10.4 seconds)
• Drive type: front wheel drive

Battery, range, efficiency

• Battery capacity: 35.8 kWh (2016 e-Golf: 24.3 kWh)
• Total range (EPA): 201 kilometers / 125 miles (2016 e-Golf: 134 kilometers / 83 miles)
• MPGe (combined): 119 MPGe (2016 e-Golf: 116 MPGe)
• MPGe (city): 126 MPGe (2016 e-Golf: 126 MPGe)
• MPGe (highway): 111 MPGe (2016 e-Golf: 105 MPGe)
• Fuel consumption equivalent: 1.97 liters / 100 km (2016 e-Golf: 2.03 liters / 100 km)
• Energy consumption (kWh/100 miles): 28.3 (2016 e-Golf: 29.0)
• Energy consumption (kWh/100 kilometers): 17.6 (2016 e-Golf: 18.1)

Charging times

• AC 2.3 kW (to 100%): 17 hours
• AC 3.6 kW (to 100%): 10 hours 50 min
• AC 7.2 kW (to 100%): 5 hours 20 min
• DC (to 80%): 45 min

Image credit: Volkswagen